Eat You Up
by Orange-Remix
Summary: You can't fight "imprinting"! How can you sit here, and tell me you don't feel anything? After he saved you? Are you going to let these feelings eat you up inside, Rin? Or admit, you’re in love— That Japan’s top yakuza woman, has fallen for Sesshomaru!
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_Eat You Up_

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Summary:

**She's fierce, a respected Yakuza member. And yet forced to stay behind, playing nurse for an arrogant inuyoukai? With someone trying to kill her and being suddenly 'imprinted'- Rin doesn't what's worse: forced to love Sesshoumaru, or being assassinated.**

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A baby soft, piano keyed lullaby, pattered through my head as rain began to splatter onto my face. Like a sad funeral song. My thick eyelashes fluttered slowly in response. I pulled back the hair from my face, the thick tresses tangling in my fingers. I let out a strangled sigh, emotion thick in my throat. My hands captured my eyes. Thick matted blood clung to the young creases of my palms. I laughed pathetically, with frustration and self-pity.

_Why_?

"Finally learning your place, you _blind _whore?"

My opaque eyes flickered up to the voice. Even from my seat, I could tell she was taller than she appeared on television. Her dark, ruby eyes, glittered with obvious macabre. Thin, stringy hair fell from her crown, the rain dripping off and onto my pale face. Her blunt industrial sword in her demonic hands twinkled with my human blood. Fierce shots of pain continuously exploded from my stomach. My bloodied hands held my abdomen, where a blade had carved its way through, leaving a gaping hole. It was obvious I wasn't lucky twice. I wouldn't survive this time.

But, as I stared up into those slut's eyes, my own glaring back at her, I wondered if I was going to go down this way? Instantaneously, my body responded angrily, jerking my lifeless legs—

My heart stuttered into a bizarre strangled pulse.

I could barely gasp.

One after another, _pain_ like heavy hammers, punched my dying heart. I cried out in agonizing torture, my fingers fisting at the leather over my heart. Another drum-like pulse hit my ribcage, _hard_**.** I fell onto my front, my head cracked against the asphalt. Once more, not even a millisecond after the second, a more gut-wrenching feeling ripped inside me. This one had my lips and teeth scraping against the cement, as I screamed in blinding white-hot agony.

If someone said, this is how an orphaned girl, was going to die—I would've punched them in the face. But, if that someone had continued on to say, that the last name I spoke, would be _his_.. I would've slaughtered them. Even with my sore-throat, convulsing body, hole in my stomach, and lachrymose soaked lips, I managed to fulfill one last bloody cry. One last devastated word; I swore to never again repeat.

_"SESSHOMARU!"_

_Three weeks, prior._

Even on the dark, twisted road, where the Oosaka city lights didn't glow so fiercely, a charcoal motorcycle stood out like the center of Tokyo. Leaning dangerously low to the flickering pavement, the machine rushed around the large curve in the road, and punched faster when the asphalt straightened. Thin feminine hands gripped the handlebars of the custom-made MV Agusta F4 RR, giddily pressing the bike to its unreachable limits. The remarkable motorcycle began to decrease its power, when a massive mansion appeared between the vast bamboo forest. The headlights glinted off metal bars ahead, at the thick wrought-iron gate in front of the driveway to the home.

The bike came to a rumbling stop at the entrance, and two black shoes stepped on the crushed gravel of the driveway. A black box to the top left flickered, and then a face appeared on the expensive screen. A pair of eyes peered down at the girl, whose helmet was securely in place.

"State your business." The electronic crackled.

I gave a huff of annoyance, before answering.

"Shippou, if you don't let me in, I swear that I will run over your stupid, precious dvd, that you made me buy—"

The screen blew a raspberry.

Angrily, a thin plastic case was thrown at the screen, and it fluttered to the ground noisily. There was a buzzing, the locks releasing, and the extravagant gates swished open. However, the screen's voice continued to buzz on.

".. Is that the Horton Hears a Who dvd?" It questioned to itself.

I could barely hear the voice behind me, the thick machine drowning out the sound. Speeding up the long driveway, bamboo shoots zipping past in a blur, my fingers relaxed their grip as the cul-de-sac focused through the tinted helmet glass. Too frustrated to care where to park, I let the bike fall silent next to the stone steps of the mansion. The headlights died, the key was turned and taken out, and the bike tilted as the kickstand hit the earth. Unstraddling the bike I sighed deeply, before undoing the helmet safety precautions. The helmet slid off, and my pair of opaque eyes fluttered in the cool breeze, along with my long black hair.

Stretching a little as I moved, my feet found the large stone entrance steps. Eagerly taking two at a time, I reached the wooden doors, and flung them open. Setting my gear on the black love-seat in the entrance, my fingers were unzipping the leather jacket when a woman suddenly appeared.

Screaming in shock, which died slowly in embarrassment, I unclenched my tense heart.

"Kag's, don't _do_ that!"

Two impatient eyes leered at me, which made me feel nervous.. Reaching into the plastic grocery bag on the small sectional, I timidly handed the girl a package. Instantaneously, a large grin spread across her face.

"_Oh_, steamed buns! Thank you, Rin!" The pregnant woman beamed, eying the half-thawed package happily.

"Fuck, I never thought the Yakuza family house would be brought down, by a pregnant woman at the least." A male voice concurred.

Kagome, turned furiously towards the man, rage glittering madly in her grey eyes. We all tensed, waiting for the maternal woman to strike. Instead of slaughtering the annoyingly innocent, Kagome shook the package in front of the inu youkai.

"At least someone around here can actually _satisfy_ me."

The youkai spluttered, red splashing onto his chagrin expression, which I relished with self-fulfilling humor. Kagome walked away, humming to herself. The distressed man turned to me.

"I was _asleep_!" He growled hysterically, before leaving to find his currently satisfied mate.

After the married couple had left, my lips cracked an amused smile. Trying to keep my laughter quiet, I continued to proceed into the modern castle. The clicking of my shoes echoed softly in the corridor, which alerted another being. A graceful woman exited a room up ahead. The familiar figure warmed my erratic emotions, taking away the day's frustrations.

"Izayoi."

The immortal human woman walked up, her softly curled black hair bouncing gently as she walked.

"I'm glad you're back. I take it then, from the disappearance of smashing dishes, Kagome-chan got her snack?"

My eyes widened, "She broke dishes this time?"

Izayoi, Inuyasha's human mother, laughed, waving her hand as if it was nothing.

"I remember, when InuTashio couldn't find any onigiri (let alone make some) back in New York City, 1902. So, I burnt all his pants." The woman tittered. "There's a reason why all the fireplaces here, are gas or electric." She continued; her eyes glassy with memories.

"Takamira!"

We both turned towards the voice— a teenager-appearing fox youkai was making his way towards us. My face automatically glowered at the boy, who was grasping a six pack of Asahi beer and a bowl of popcorn. Izayoi's eyes glistened at the buttery treat.

"What?" I snapped.

"Cranky, are we?" The fox youkai muttered. "Where are the dvds?"

"I won't repeat myself, Shippou."

Green, almond shaped pupils, widened, and his food dropped from his grasp. Izayoi snatched a piece of falling popcorn. She popped it into her mouth wistfully. The popcorn bowl hit the ground with a clunk, but most of the pieces stayed grouped in the plastic container.

"You didn't!" He cried out.

"Shippou." I growled, "You made me go into a grocery store, for a fucking movie. I spent an hour looking for the damn thing, and another in the huge line ups!"

"But I hacked into their security cameras, the place was almost empty—"

"That was eleven this _morning_! I was there at five in the _evening,_ the busiest time for stores, since that's when _normal_ people are done their _normal_ jobs!"

"What movies did you get?" The mother questioned, breaking the argument.

Another voice echoed the hallway behind them, followed by the clinking sound of car keys.

"Well, Lady Takahashi, she bought 'Horton Hears a Who', and 'The Dark Knight'."

Our formed trio turned to face a tall human man. He had buzz-cut black hair, dirt brown eyes, and a sugary sweet smile that had me wishing I wasn't wearing skinny jeans. However, much to my immense pleasure, a woman walked out from around the corner. Long chocolate brown hair that was usually pulled into ponytail, curved into a hasty messy-bun around her head. The brunette quirked at eyebrow at the dvds in the guy's hands.

"Yeah, and we found them outside the gate.." She spoke curiously.

"Sango, you mean _you_ did, when we were pressed up against the—"

Sango's palm ricocheted against the guy's face, leaving his cheek supporting a similar shade to Inuyasha's blood-red Koenigsegg CCR car. I tried to muffle my loud peals of laughter. A small vibration tingled within my jeans front pocket, making me squirm as it tickled me. Sango's perverted husband, whose eyebrows rose at the phone's noise, had another thing coming at him. Ignoring the woman's violence, I flipped open the cell phone— dully noting the name _'Asami'_ on the glowing screen.

"Moshi moshi."

"_Rinny!_"

My lips twitched into a smile, "I take it we're going out tonight, not tomorrow?"

"Gomen_, Rinny! My university professor sprung a calculus exam—!"_

"It's fine, Asami— same beginning place as usual?"

"_I owe you a blue electric mix!"_

Snapping the phone shut, I became well-aware of a lecherous smile burning a hole though my head. I didn't bother turning.

"You're not coming, Miroku." I deducted.

"Aw, Miss Rin—"

"Miss Rin, is going to be having fun, while you, Miroku, are going to help me!" Boomed another male voice, "Kagome lost her box of almond Pocky, and since I actually ate it, you need to help me buy some—"

Inuyasha entered the growing crowd, his hair mussed, and golden eyes frantic. Miroku turned to his friend, uncertainty flickering on his face..

_Ah, poor Inu, Kagome's such a slave driver.._ I thought, before my frown turned masochistic._ Nah._

I raced up the nearest stairs, my feet thundering against the floorboards. Upon flinging open my bedroom door, tugging off my shirt, and replacing it with a glittery top; I barely managed to make it out the door before Inuyasha did. _Record time again_, I almost pumped my fist into the arm with amusing self-victory. Dashing past the youkai dragging Miroku, my motorcycle's keys dangling from my fingertips, I jumped onto my bike and sped down the driveway. It felt oddly breezy, as I neared the slowly-opening gates. Patting my head with my free hand, I realized I forgot my helmet. I shrugged, as I managed to squeeze through the gates, without decreasing my speedometer. I liked to speed. And my numerous speeding tickets, recorded with all fake ID's, were proof of that.

Being in a Yakuza had its many perks.

Grinding down the accelerator, my machine jerked forward. As the vacant road connected with a nearly packed occupant highway, I barely took note of the red stop sign. I eagerly streamed through the noisy traffic, some angrily honking at me, pushing my motorcycle to its unfathomable limit. I shot past a moving police car, whose siren only flashed for a moment, before hanging up the idea of catching me. Ducking lower behind the bike's small windshield, I grinned with intoxicating satisfaction.

I exited the lane, and began my way to the Shinsaibashi district. I could barely concentrate on the stuttering traffic in the area, aching to taste that favorite blue drink of mine. Every week, Asami, I, and a few others, would go hard-core clubbing. We usually started at the club _Ozone_, and then continue on to others. As my vision became hazier, my cash flow began to send out warning signals for an ATM. I wasn't an alcoholic, but I craved dancing clubs like no other. Especially after a harsh week of Yakuza duties.

Asami was oblivious about my other demanding lifestyle and I didn't want her to ever know. She was my first high school friend, to accept me after being hospitalized— A haunting memory fought its way through.

_My foot stepped over a thickly stained area of blood._

_I began to shake, my hand almost loosing its grip on the house keys. Each step, every floorboard that creaked, sent a thick knife through my chest. I wished to not believe it. This had to be happening to someone else, not me, not the Takamira__ family._

_My eyes gazed at the corner of the wall. Two more steps and I'd be in the living room._

_I lifted one foot, blood from the floor collecting in its groves, and then moved the other. I should've known better— my cinnamon eyes locked onto the living room scene. It felt like I jumped off a cliff, the sickening feeling of the drop, filling ever section, pore, in my body with horror. I screamed, the blood-curdling noise widening my eyes in terror. There were body parts everywhere, thrown across every section of our western-style furniture. It wasn't the fact my mother's tattered arm dangled off the television, my little brother's bloody torso was propped up on the table, but my father's eye-less head, and that haunting smile on his face. _

_And that deep cut that rose from his lips, across his eyelids and over his ears—_

FUCK!

I slammed on the brakes, turning rapidly to stop my bike— before it collided with a gigantic crowd in the middle of the street. My heart was roaring like blades on a helicopter, and going about so fiercely, my ears filled with an echoing ring.

I _didn't_ want to remember that day. Or the pictures of my family's torso's thrown across our house, or remember my fifteen year-old screams alerting the neighborhood, even _still_ hear the murder that still lurked inside, that bolted from the house.. but, not before slicing a blade across my head, the metal carving against my once chocolate brown eyes.

My murky eyes flashed open.

Police sirens crying, had jerked me from my seat, and I wondered if the timid car had actually followed me. Disbelief dropped my curious expression, as I realized why there was a much larger than normal crowd on the cross walk. Line, after line, after line, of thick golden police tape, wound itself around a large area— club Ozone.

_Asami_.

People, some wearing normal clothes, others wearing flirtatious slips, and even a few had a drink in their hands, surrounded the tape. The whispering was like a bee hive, and I quickly parked my bike, frantic to know what was going on— but I didn't even have to move an inch. Even from my distance, I couldn't help the gasp of surprise.. and horror. Between the crowded figures, a person was lying deathly still on the ambulance stretcher. Not just any mere Japanese woman, but one that had a similar hair cut to mine— the same shaped glossy lips— cloned aqua blue sequin shirt— and frightening twin-like facial structure.

The only thing we didn't share in common, was the large bullet hole between her closed eyes.

Unresponsively, I felt the vibration from my phone. My distant eyes gazed at my bulging pocket in a trance, and then slowly reeled back to the news scene. Only to meet a pair of dark eyes. A spark ignited in my head, as the man stared at me. I didn't need to be a gang member, to know that this guy was _bad_. My hand twitched, my mind stretched between reaching for the sheathed knife at my ankle, and my black motorcycle a foot away.

His gun clicked loudly.

I spun on my heel, mounted the machine, and turned the keys. Curving away from my spot, speedometer pointing at high numbers, the wheels screeched as smoke rose from the back tire. I gunned the engine, swearing heavily under my breath, as the Osaka city lights swirled past my eyes.

An engine revved behind me, and with a sharp glance in my side mirror, I knew it wasn't a pushy tourist. _Shit._ I took a sharp turn to the next lane, and fucking booked it down the highway. The harsh wind in my face, began to make my misty eyes sting. The hell-bent driver's engine became louder.. Advancing closer to me, I knew I only had three options. I could take the exit up ahead, and try to loose him in the busy school district. Two, the knife could be thrown at the driver, assassinating him, and his pretty car would smash into oncoming traffic. Three, I could jump the railing of the over-pass we were speeding on, and take the highway below back to the Yakuza mansion. However, I could fatally break my bike and a few bones. A gun shot whistled through the night, shattering my side mirror. My milky eyes narrowed.

Three.

Recklessly turning my handlebars, a sharp 90 degree angle, I drove into the metal fence surrounding the road. With a sharp trilling nails-on-chalkboard screech, my precious bike and I flipped over the rails. It was a good thing I was better at mathematics than Asami. I calculated the landing, tires still burning feverously, and hit the pavement upright. A dizzy head wasn't the only thing I received in the fall. The bastard had managed to hit me. A painful shot above my left shoulder, burned like a blistering cattle-iron.

My cell phone in my pocket, protested against my jeans. Angrily I snatched it from its constraints, and pushed the 'talk' button.

"What?" I snarled.

"_R—Rin? What's with you— whatever, anyway, don't come home!"_

My eyebrows crunched together, what the?

"Kagome, I've just been shot!" I growled, "I sure as hell am coming home!"

"_No!—"_

"Look, Kag's, whatever it is, I can handle! But listen, _something's_ going on!"

"_Rin— no.. homaru.. jured.. in!"_

Before I could question the fuzzy sentence, I barely noticed I was headed toward a pair of bright twin lights. Screaming, I let go of the phone, and jerked the motorcycle back to its original route. I dimly saw my neon-orange phone being run over, in my remaining side-view mirror. I started to grumble, until—I heard a heavy knock on a glass window; I turned my head curiously, to only see the same car from before.

I spluttered furiously.

This guy was like an annoying freshman asking for a date— that was way out of his league. My wound screamed in vengeance. Without bothering to think about the public, not that they would honestly see me while racing past a billion cars at once, I reached for my ankle. Plan number two. My right hand fisted, and I pulled my arm back. Ignoring the thought of broken fingers to come, my hand shot forward, smashing the driver's side window into silver rain. My left hand quickly passed over an industrial steel knife from my leg, and my hand shot a second time into the moving car beside me. I dug the steel into the guys neck, twisting it angrily as his bones crackled around the blade. This all took me a few seconds.

Racing forward, I felt the heavy gust of wind, as the car swerved unmanned into the truck behind me. The pile up was horrendous, and I was only hearing it. Grimacing at the innocent lives interrupted, I sped forward, not daring to look back.

Furiously, back tracking my way home, taking multiple roads, I finally managed to find a familiar road. Cutting noisily through silent neighborhoods, couples still out, watched with huge eyes, as I expedited my way past them. A few extreme turns later, I jumped a small wooden skate-board ramp, and over the hill it rested upon. My tires snarled against the gravel at the bottom, but managed to race upon them, and down onto a long rail of train tracks. I couldn't try my chances with another person trying to kill me; I had to take all careful precautions.

Even though I would've enjoyed this more, without a hole in my arm and a few broken digits, I still managed a slight smile at the new energizing route. I had to take Kagome on it when she wasn't pregnant anymore.

Subsequently swinging onto the known abandoned street, my body bowed closer to the engine, agonized fingers gripping tightly on the bars. Hastening my speed, my machine sprinted closer to the wrought-iron bars. I didn't have to even bat an eye at the gate-guard, the gate was already swung open.

A heavy rock settled into my stomach. Something had to be wrong.. That was confirmed, by the sight in front of the monstrous house. Twenty, no, thirty, top-brand, custom trimmed, glistening cars, and trucks were hap hazardously sprawled across the estate. Even during emergency Yakuza meetings, InuTashio _never_ allowed such parking.

I felt almost terrified to what awaited inside.

Skidding to a lurching halt, I accidentally let gravel spit at a gold Mercedes "Gullwing" supercar. I cringed, clenching my teeth. Letting my kickstand jut forward, I let my bike lean gently. Wincing at the pain in my left side, I shrugged through easily recognized Porsche 911's, Audi R8's, Bugatti Veyron's, and even a few cars I assumed were Mini Coopers. I blamed the Yakuza members, and their car obsessions that rubbed off on me.

A distinct enraged youkai yell echoed from the house. I paused, my heart beating a hundred-fold, my palms slick, and my bullet-wound ached in anguish. There were sounds of a scuffle inside, guns clamoring to the ground, punches and kicks being delivered.. I instinctively reached down to my ankle— only to feel the empty sheath.

Cursing, I steadied my curving shoulders.

"S—ho—Sesshomaru, stop!"

There was a little click in my head, and I cocked my head to the side in wonder. Why did this name seem so familiar?

"_Son_! Please—!"

The little click, became another, and I slightly remembered a snippet of conversation..

"_He's Inuyasha step-brother. InuTashio was married to his mother, back in 1795, until she left. It wasn't until a decade later, that she was found, murdered."_

_Izayoi smiled slightly, but from the sound of her voice, I could tell she strained against the information. Her delicate hands found mine in the darkness, for my eyes were still bandaged with gauze from surgery._

"_Sesshoumaru hasn't been the same since," She continued. "He.. blames Inuyasha, InuTashio.. and mostly me, for the reason behind his mother's death. Even though I only met his father a hundred years later. Though.. It's obvious he blames himself. Any child would, at such a young age— even a youkai."_

"_Where is he now?" I whispered, my throat sore from sleep._

"_He left a month ago, just before your fami—"_

_She stopped, her mouth taunt.  
_

The memory fell from my vision, because the second I faced the door, I had felt a _tug_ at the front of my jacket. Without giving a second thought, because I knew from experience, I had hallucinations when intoxicated or injured, I turned the door knob.

All around me, hundreds of them, youkai, hanyou's, even a few scattered humans, were surrounded in a circle, just beyond the enormous foyer. Above them, an elaborate chandelier chimed softly.. and was splattered with red. I felt bile rise in my throat, as I looked away from the ceiling— only to have the acid climb higher and into my mouth. A sudden spray of blood had shot into the air, showering on the cream colored walls sickeningly.

I almost spilled my quivering stomach contents, as fear and sickness poured into my skin like icy water. Inuyasha found it humorous that I got ill at the sight of too much blood, and he let it be known every time. I could beat the snot out of someone, annihilated a whole room of youkai, but at the sight of blood— uh _uh,_ Rin get sick. I tried to close my eyes, hold down my stomach, but my eyes almost rolled to the back of my head, upon seeing a half-bloodied woman race towards me.

I was just having the best night of my life, now wasn't I?

"Rin!"

Sango's worried expression filled my flickering vision, and I snapped my eyes shut along with my mouth. I held out my hand, trying to show her, I could also explode.

"_Rin_?"

I paused, my eyes opening slowly, who was that second voice? The room had gone silent, but I thought my brain was going insane, and had blocked out the disturbing noise. Turning my arched body to the side.. all my troubles wiped away. Along with remembering what my name was.

Silver. Gold. Red. White. Blue. Maroon. Pink.

It was like a car crash.

When his golden eyes collided with mine, I felt like one of those millions of unnamed deer staring into twin headlights on a dark road.. When the impact hit, everything, from my goose bumped skin, to my illogical thoughts, went through my body. And they collided, so _beautifully_ with him, sinking into him like mashed bits of metal car scraps. Going in so deep, no type of doctor could fix the injury. As I tried to shake my dizzy head and vision away, my eyes rolled onto his current condition. No, not the way he was staring at me— like a blind man seeing the sun for the very first time— but at the slashes of a brutal fight, all over his gorgeous body. My bewildered body pushed through the gapping crowd. I didn't even stop to rationally think. The tiny voice in me, insisted me to co-operate. Like it knew something I didn't..

Tearing a large piece of my sequin shirt off, I wrapped it hastily around his thick bicep. Tying it into a knot, I immediately bent down and almost eagerly tore off my whole pant leg. Ripping it in certain places, I wrapped the thick piece around his slender waist, and knotted it in place. Without hesitating once more, I reached for what was rest of my shirt— until a strong hand held me still.

My sharp, clear, brown feminine eyes snapped up to his. They were Takahashi eyes, but this pair was bleeding red. The youkai stripes on his face began to fray, becoming thicker and jagged.

Without warning, he ripped his remaining constraints, and attacked.

It happened so fast, the world was spinning as if on black ice, my heart was jumping erratically into my throat and stomach, and I dizzily wondered if I would vomit butterflies. Thick arms wove intensely protectively around my frail waist, and bound me tightly to his injured chest.

Then he took his chance.

Burning lips smothered mine, freezing my heart into a spluttering stop. Intense emotions washed over me, physically crashing me into him. Pushing into him and closer to the floor, my lips forcibly collided with his, unable to push away this sudden impact of desire. Tingles rushed down my quivering body, igniting every hair on my skin, and blazing every vein into an unnamed frenzy. I had caught fire.

His gorgeous hands began to finger tip down my spine—--then suddenly shoved me violently away.

Thousands of words wanted to spew through my lips. Like, _what _just happened? Why the hell had my body been unconsciously gravitating toward him? What drug did I inhale, that made me attack a half-alive youkai man? And.. and why did he stop? Rejection filled my heart, and it confused me even more! Millions of eyes peered at me, from all angles of the room, in complete and utter shock. While a few remained with other emotion.. Kagome looked flabbergasted, Inuyasha was alarmingly outraged, Sango and Miroku stared worriedly at my self, InuTashio had his large hand covering his face, and Izayoi-- Looked like she wanted to sing.

"_He left a month ago, just before your fami—"_

_She stopped, her mouth taunt. Morphine had plagued my system, so I hardly even flinched at the word '_family'_.  
_

"_Anyway." Izayoi smiled briefly, patting my hand motherly. "Did I ever tell you how InuTashio and I met?"_

_I shook my head, my fifteen year-old cheeks blushing slightly. If it was Izayoi's love life we were talking about, there was certainly going to be a parade of flowers, pink and red, gooey romantic movies, and white cakes._

"_Well actually, I more so should be asking, if you ever heard of _imprinting_?"_

_She took my curious silence, as a 'no'._

"_It doesn't happen to every single youkai, but it happens to the majority out there. Even humans, can imprint, but we call them as 'soul mates'."_

_I nodded, and she continued._

"_It's when.. well.. I guess from my experience, you can feel it first. Like someone pulling on the back of your shirt, as if trying to guide you in a certain direction. It's hard to ignore it. So you eventually follow, and then.. the world becomes insignificant."_

"_Insignificant?"_

_How odd to say such a thing.. especially in a Izayoi-specialized love story.  
_

"_Like.. there was nothing in this universe, that would hold you to the ground. Like thick soap bubbles washing away during a shower."_

_She stopped, her words becoming soft, honeyed.._

"_I saw him when I was a mere Geisha. I had just finished an appointment at the Rizyu tea house, when I turned around slowly. The tugging had been bothering me all through my rendezvous, and to the point I could barely sit still. When I finally left the noisy tea house, I turned toward the Zen garden. That was the first time I saw him. The hour was dark as the night, safer for youkai, few humans ventured about; It was across the garden, when it hit me like a speeding cart filled with sacks of rice._

"_Like jumping off a bridge in my thick kimono, the feeling surrounded me, soaked through my clothes.. glued to my skin like wet flour. I didn't understand the feeling, nor did I know who this inhumanly beautiful man was.. but, I didn't care. I ran across the white pebbles, my geta's sliding off my feet, scattering the serene lines of the enclosure. I almost jumped into his arms."_

_Her gentle hands gripped mine softly._

"_After a long night together.. he told me what had happened. That he had imprinted upon me. A soul meant for another soul. No matter who you might end up with, if you did not feel the same way an imprinted person would.. you would unconsciously move on, until you found your other half. Even if you hated that person, you would not be able to deny the unbelievable pull and devotion towards them. Despite everything, sooner or later, you both will find another, and always be together."_

"_Is that what happened to Kagome and Inuyasha?" I questioned, my own little heart beating frantically._

"_Yes, and as you can see, even stupidity and arguments, will never break an imprinted couple."_

"_Isn't that weird though?" I questioned, smiling slightly at her joke. "I mean, you feel all this devotion for someone you never met until suddenly? It feels like you're being forced to love them, as if someone wrote down how you'd feel and you have no choice in the matter. No if's, says's, or but's."_

_My smile turned into a frown.  
_

"_It seems that way, Rin. However, what you have to realize, is that it's your _heart _telling you these things. It's not forcing you; you can fight it all you want. But, in the end, your soul is showing you, you will love this person, this much— despite what may come your way."_

"_You can fight the future," She continued, laughing. "But you can't fight fate."_

"GET HER _AWAY_ FROM ME!" Sesshoumaru roared, people holding him back from me.

I couldn't even breathe, as my eyes flickered between my friends, then eventually from the enraged youkai's red eyes, to Izayoi's beautiful grey irises.

I wanted to throw up.

* * *

"Mother-fucking, son-of-hell, for all the _things_ that are **holy**—"

"Inuyasha!" Kagome hissed, "_Shut up_!"

".. fucking shit."

Groaning, Kagome turned back towards me; her eyes brimmed with worry and fear. I was in such a daze, I barely remembered being hauled out of the entrance, and bandaged up in my private bathroom. I lay in the luke-warm swimming-pool sized tub, my still clothes on. Kagome had said I was in shock.

Well, who the fuck wouldn't be?

The lip of water, reached my chin, so I childishly scrunched down to blow bubbles in the water. I wondered if my brain would collapse from the weight just dropped onto it.. I paused my bubble-blowing briefly, then continued on.

"Rin, maybe we should get you out of those clothes?"

I looked down into the water, my swishy reflection swaying in the tub. My dazed mood vanished, upon seeing my half-torn off clothes. _What an ungrateful asshole_. I sat up violently, and tugged off my wet jeans and limp under-shirt. I flung them against the bathroom door, making it shudder on its hinges, and sat back into the tub, water sloshing over the edge. My orange underwear and frilly lace bra glimmered under the water's surface.

"You know, Inuyasha loves you like a sister." Kagome whispered, "That's why he's upset— ("Raving fucking mad." I input.)— and swearing at every moving thing. Sesshoumaru is his half-brother, but he's been treated.. poorly by him. So—"

"He can't believe the jack ass imprinted on me," I spoke.

Kagome nodded, her distraught eyes holding mine, as I turned towards her.

"Kag's, he's an asshole." I whispered, tears building in my eyes. "There's no way I could.. love him."

Her expression began pained, "I know that, Rin. But he's imprinted on you."

A second door leading to the bathroom, opened softly, and closed. Izayoi appeared with an arm full of clothes and towels.

"He's not mean." Izayoi spoke, "Just.. damaged."

I wiggled my toes unconcerned in the warm water.

"Rin, he blames the murder of his mother, on _me_. A _Yakuza _member, a _human_.. a _woman_. That's why he's so upset about this, why he turned your away."

I felt as if I had chugged a case of saki down my raw throat-- my mood swings were getting as bad as Kagome's.

"That sexist hypocritical asshole!" I screamed, jumping to my feet in outrage.

"Rin!"

"No!" I cried, torn between hatred, disbelief.. and wavering power.

"Please-- RIN!"

I left the bath, water gushing down from my hair, and furiously ripped open the door. No, there was no way, _absolutely no way!_

Infuriated I shoved past Inuyasha, who was beside the door frame. I heard voices behind me, pleading me to stop my rampage, but I didn't give a flying fuck. I didn't have to search for long, because a figure appeared in front of me. His long silver hair was tied into a small bunch, which hung limply over his shoulder. No longer were his eyes dark with violence, but molten amber, with..

I tried not to become intimidated, as he towered over me. I fought down the feelings suddenly rising from within me, to grasp his shirt, pull him down to my face—

"No." I whispered to myself.

"No?" I could hear the smirk in his tone.

My eyes flashed up to his, his own widened slightly in surprise. No one knew I was legally blind, except only from the milky brown color of my irises. No one knew.. Because youkai, gave off a powerful aura. One that my body grasped onto, one that helped me _see_. If I spent too much time around humans, though, my vision would slowly fade.

"I hate you." I declared, my heart slightly wavering.

"You don't sound like it." He murmured.

Why did his voice, have to sound like liquid velvet?

_Rin.. NO! He hates everything that you are! How could he even start to love you? He's obviously disgusted by the fact he's imprinted on you, to a blind, the-sight-of-blood-retching human woman!_

"I hate—" I began.

Refreshingly soft lips crushed against mine. My smooth wet fingers laced through his hair, a deep moan escaping the corners of my moving mouth. He was like crisp ice on a hot Osaka summer.

"_Isn't that weird though?" I questioned, smiling slightly at her joke. "I mean, you feel all this devotion for someone you never met until suddenly? It feels like you're being forced to love them, as if someone wrote down how you'd feel and you have no choice in the matter. No if's, says's, or but's."_

He didn't love me.

My hand collided with his smooth face, effectively releasing his grasp on me.

"I HATE YOU!" I screamed, shocked tears pouring from my eyes. "DON'T TRY TO SCREW AROUND WITH ME! I KNOW WHO YOU REALLY ARE! YOU HATE YOUR OWN FAMILY! YOU BLAME YOUR MOTHERS DEATH UPON THEM! YOU DON'T BOTHER CONSIDERING THE _OBVIOUS _TRUTH— THAT _YOUR MOTHER LEFT YOU_! SHE OBVIOUSLY _WASN'T HAPPY_ WITH—"

My small frame was rammed into the hallway wall, so brutally, not only did it shatter the drywall, but the decision-wavering emotions in my heart. As my dizzy eyes gazed up into his ruby ones, I knew, this would never work out. No matter how much I tried-- if I wanted to-- his cold demeanor wouldn't allow such finalization to a human.

"You. Don't. Know. Me." He snarled, contradicting my brief thoughts.

And that's where he left me, as my body slowly drifted to the floor.. my tears thicker than the bath water.

* * *

a/n: Not gonna lie, this chapter took me a week to piece together. And a few restless nights, to weave the plot through it all. And if I only end up with like 4 reviews, for this chapter, I probably will **discontinue** this story. Seriously, it feels like I didn't write good enough.

Ja ne!


	2. A

_Eat You Up

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_

Summary:

**She's fierce, a respected Yakuza member. And yet forced to stay behind, playing nurse for an arrogant inuyoukai? With someone trying to kill her and being suddenly 'imprinted'- Rin doesn't what's worse: forced to love Sesshomaru, or being assassinated.

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**

"—seven billion Yen."

I'd heard this sentence over a hundred times today, mainly behind my back, and in the eyes of astounded people. But large numbers around here meant nothing; whether they were associated with bank accounts or people to _be _involved. So there was honestly nothing to fret about— unless that large amount was the asking price for _your_ dismembered head. I stiffened as the latest gossip group, passed by my hidden body. There wasn't any real reason to my hiding.. I was just _a wee bit_ overwhelmed with the past forty-eight hours of all conversation directed around me. I started to grind the back of my teeth, my vision shuttering at the vibration. The sickening feeling of my bad habit, made my fingers clench together and my toes curl, until the tendons of my foot ached in pressure.

I could still feel the paper cuts between my small toes, from the last group mission—a month since the _Black Blood _attack. Their fighting skills were as bad as their yakuza name— along with their attitude of raping teenage girls. With such a pathetic low-life target, only a team of ten was sent in. So why was it, these idiots managed to split us up in a closed-down mall, and counter surprise us the second we got in? Whatever skills they had, was only used during that time. Despite the fact, once I was separately alone, I suddenly found myself sucking in chloroform. But how couldn't I have seen them? Simple.. they were all human. And I had been separated from my team long enough, that my body was no longer finding any youkai auras. Was it simple coincidence, or was this planned? Even after they used a sharp knife between my toes, demanding for our gang's hideout, the rage never subsided once my team rescued me. And no one dared to lay down the law, as I unmercifully turned those bastards into Swiss cheese. My rage wasn't due to my torture, how stupid these people were, nor that I was outrageously outnumbered when the others got split up— it was because, _Rin, _never got taken down.

None spoke a word after that incident. And none needed an explanation to why I was captured for the first time. One look from my snow white eyes and they all knew why.

A sharp pain cut through my stiff posture, from my wrapped-up shoulder. Damn bullet wound. Unlocking my bones and joints, I jumped stealthily from my crammed space— Just as my lungs stuttered into sudden silence. A pair of large feet was headed towards me. Panic injected into my bloodstream, and I quickly returned to the cubby-hole I was previously folded into. Shifting back into my origami position, I placed a neatly folded blanket in front of my body, camouflage.

The creaky door whipped open, fluttering my hair in the wind that got in-between my blanket front. Softly, knowing the person wouldn't be able to detect it, I breathed through my teeth quietly—yes, it was beyond annoying, the quiet and slow patterned breathing method, but it worked wonders against ears. Despite drawing in air from my mouth, I caught a very familiar woodsy-fruity smell.. My camouflage was suddenly ripped away, which made my eyes bulge slightly in shock. Ignoring the smug grin pointed at me, I gracefully slid out from the hole, landing on the balls of my feet. Sniffling in embarrassment, I stalked out of the linen closet. I kept my vision down, annoyance and disappointment flickering inside me.

"Aw, common." My seeker cooed playfully.

I gritted my teeth together, ignoring the vision and temptation of strangling..

"Rin-_an-nin-nin_!"

The swishing of his long clothes caught attention to my ears, and I knew if I just could reach—

"GOTCHA!"

I screamed as the other voice gave peels of laughter. In one swift motion, we were both knocked to the floor, my tiny body demolished by a man's heavier frame. Well, _sort of _a man's.

"I _mm_-issed _w_oo!" Jakotsu's voice cried baby-like.

A slight smile irked the corners of my mouth, the smallest action, which Jakotsu's glowing eyes caught. Larger than I personally owned up to, his grin glinted happily over me. His lanky arms wrapped around my waist from behind, and they squeezed me eagerly.

"And your smile says you missed me too!" He cheered.

Letting my forehead hit the floor softly, I closed my milky eyes and smiled despite myself. Oh, how I loved Jakotsu's gay ways— He always knew when to cheer me up. I huffed in surprise, when my body was suddenly lifted by the grip around my waist, and into a pair of strong pale arms. Jak's contagious smile glowed down at me, taking away my dark mood completely. Though he appeared fragile, and flawlessly played damsel in distress, Jak was _extremely_ strong. So when his enemies though they had the upper-hand, his heavy punch knocked them into shock— and into a coma.

"You took longer than normal, thought you weren't ever coming back," I began to chatter to him.

Jakotsu laughed, his shimmering-bell voice filling the stairwell.

"I didn't mean to, Rinny, but these illiterate simpleton's were persistent—" He continued, and then his lips paused.

Pushing away my tangled hair, I stared up at him in confusion.

"Never mind. I owe you an apology." He whispered, hugging my body gently. "The one human, who managed to flee, was the one who shot at you. Even though I did manage to rip him apart him after.. I feel atrocious."

My mouth opened into a surprised 'o'. Though one measly bullet-wound was nothing for me, Jakotsu always piled the guilt upon himself. He wanted to protect everyone, at every second; even from dark figures calling out a price for me— a price of seven billion Yen.

"I was the last to know?" I whispered angrily.

"We didn't want you to know, until we found out why." Jak murmured, placing a soothing hand to my cheek. "And we still don't know why, Rinny."

His words made the ball of twisted string in my stomach, angrily tug and cause deeper snags of frustration.. and fear. Jakotsu wasn't just a decoy, bait, he was good at slipping behind the screens and getting information we needed. The guy was youkai, lived for hundred of years, even helped get dirt on Hitler— and he couldn't find out why my head had a target on it? Seven billion Yen— almost ninety-seven billion Canadian— seventy-seventy and so billion American— a staggering sixty billion, six-hundred-thousand and seven, six-hundred and fifty dollars and fifty cents.. for my corpse? And _Jak_ couldn't find out, in a six-month mission, why _my_ life was priced higher than any others! Higher than an _American_ _president's_ or a _Japanese_ _gang leader's_ assassination fee?

The mansion was a scramble of people coming and going, all lines out, phones, and gates were monitored, and I was being trapped inside. Despite shattering a cabinet of dishes, punching Inuyasha in the face, and screaming at InuTashio.. everyone believed I was safer here. But that didn't feel like my _only_ penalty.. Becoming a dog demon's mate was also the highest number on my black list, of '_Things I'd rather rip my guts out, than do.' _

"Oh!"

Jakotsu's tormented expression turned into surprise.

"I should probably let you down, since Sesshomaru wouldn't like another guy's scent all over—"

I quickly iron-locked my arms around his thin neck: "InuTashio's son does not _own _me!" I snarled.

Alarm sparked into his grey eyes.

"Rinny.." He whispered, perfect eyebrows puckering.

"I don't want to talk about it." I said coldly.

Just from my voice, had his lips hardened to a thin line. Jakostu was big on youkai traditions, so much so, that not even modern clothing replaced his colorful kimonos; missions were the only exception. But he was big on protecting me— even from myself.

We managed to successfully descend down the five stories of stairs, and down into the basement area where a lot of people unhinged. If you can imagine a mall, cookie cut with different stores, you can picture the basement floor. I'd never seen a grown man cry over such a large television, or girl-on-girl glare competitions over the one of many spa rooms.

Upon entering the main foyer, our pace was abruptly halted into a rim-rod standstill. If it wasn't for Jak's strong arms, I would've tumbled onto the floor.

"Move!"

My head whipped around, looking for the small callous voice. I must have looked like a cartoon character, with my confused display, because I heard Jak's snort of laughter. I didn't have a second to confirm this, for I felt something hard jab at my toes. Assumedly, since most of the Yakuza members were around today, I was about to give a small hanyou or youkai child a gentle lecture— but settled for a more _Jakotsu _approach.

"_KYAAAA!_"

My twisted horrified face, stared down at the thing below me. The thing—youkai— was incredibly small, impish, and covered in thick wrinkly green skin. Like the color of that nasty split pea soup, Izayoi attempted to make once..

"Who are you?" I questioned, a little snobbish.

"Don't speak to me with such low regard, you nasty _ningen_!" It barked back.

My eyes narrowed, and I lightly nudged the beast with my dangling foot, resulting in a squirming, green, ugly-baby on its back. I wasn't a big fan of babies either— unless it was Kagome's. I didn't mind the toddlers, the pre-teens, and all..

.. Just the gross baby stuff. Like the spewing up, the vomit-reflect action when smelling a dirty diaper, and their endless crying that made you want to pull out your eyelashes.

"What do you want?" I rephrased, my tone becoming darker.

"To see Lord Sesshomaru, of course! And it's Master Jaken to you, human!"

I wasn't sure if the thing was more offended by my non-respect to his name, or the blunt expression on my face that clearly said, _'are you fucking shitting me?' _Sesshomaru, a Lord?

"I assure you, there is no _Lord_ here." I glowered.

If the jerk was a Lord, then I was a Barbie fairy princess.

"I know he's here!" The little demon, Jaken, puffed.

I was going to jump down, stomp around on the beast, when a thick novel was suddenly airborne, bashing into the little monster, and successfully knocking him over again. I could barely muffle my laugh.

"Go have a gay complex with someone else's half brother!" A rude voice barked.

Inuyasha stalked past us in the foyer, muttering angrily under his breath. In his strong arms were large piles of books, mainly with titles that involved pregnancy and infants. _Ugh_, I shuttered, _babies_. His voice snapped me out of my mental disgust. It wasn't his foul words that had my eyes wide in shock, but the huge sparkling grin that grew from his taunt lips. Not good. Inuyasha's gold eyes glared wickedly at me, as he shuffled the heavy texts around.

"Kouga's back."

Not good at all..

"You didn't eat his ice cream again, did you?" Jak whispered in mock shock.

"I did no such thing!" I cried indigently.

Even the little green monster raised a questioning ugly brow.

"I shared with Kagome." I lied.

"Keh, he won't do anything to Kagome. But you on the other hand— how long has this vendetta been going on anyway?"

Kouga had previously been infatuated with Kagome, during high school in Tokyo. Due to the obvious fact she was imprinted by someone else, an equally moronic man, he eventually gave up. However, when upon meeting my beautiful seventeen year old self, he was drawn to me— and dearly disappointed him when I beat his ass down. Poor guy still hated my guts for the foot against his face.

Rather than my foot leaving a nasty bruise, I think eating his food was a harsher blow.

But, the guy had it coming—First of all, Kouga had lived for over a hundred years, and he still didn't know how to spell his name in Hiragana! Once I saw his precious little ice cream box in the freezer, covered in permanent black marker, saying something like 'Kga', _of course_ I couldn't resist the urge to beat him back down. Every time he stayed over, no matter how many boxes he put in that fridge, they were in my happy stomach the second he looked away.

I could feel the smug grin lighting up my face. It was a screwed up brother-sister fiasco. We had a love hate relationship, though our fighting only resulted in an equal tie every time.

"He's in the dojo, pacing around." Inuyasha continued, and then he briskly walked away.

"Don't start without me!" He yelled.

I don't think anyone missed a time, when Kouga finally had his foot shoved in his mouth. Now was the best time than any other, since I had more than childish revenge for Kouga in mind. I had to let off some steam from my current situation, as prisoner to the house and some injured kibble-eating pup.

Eagerly squirming out of Jakotsu's embrace, and using the 'ugly baby' as a foot stool, I raced to the dojo. Streaking past Inuyasha (who was yelling something at me), Miroku trying to seduce an angry Sango, and by a few girls hovering above a gossip magazine, I finally hurled myself into the left basement wing. The shoji dojo screens were tightly shut, but I could effortlessly hear Kouga's muttering, and his wolf tail twisting impatiently behind him. A predatorily grin seep over my lips— he was already irascible, _purrr_-fect.

I mildly mused if I should just stroll in and demand a match, or if I'd enjoy poking the already hot fire. Crouching down to the floor, the way Inuyasha did sometimes, my muscles ached in anticipation.

"I can hear you giggling, Rin!" He barked.

I was doing that out loud?

Pouting a little, I stretched out my hand to the paper screen— until a thinking bulb clicked on in my head. I tipped my head back, my eyes scoring up past the shoji screens and to the ceiling. I had almost forgotten there was an observation deck for the dojo.

"Just a minute, _my darling_." I sang, while standing tall.

My murky eyes took in every possible angle of entry. The normal way to the veranda was to open the doors, and take the rickety staircase on the immediate left. But I wanted to be stealthy, and have the best advantage. I wasn't wearing my ashiko's, so that method was out. I didn't have a tanto or a grappling hook on me, to help me climb the forty-foot high wall— scratch that too. The window ledge was too far, so I couldn't even jump if had something to propel off. I gritted my teeth together.

"Let me help you."

I huffed in shock as strong arms circled my calves. Turning slightly, I glimpsed a bit of Jak's rouge silk slip.

"On three." He whispered.

Nodding, I felt his wrist pulse against my bare leg—one. I scrutinized the glass-less wooden window, imaging different techniques of grasping the empty square frame—two. Flexing my fingers, little snaps decoding, I waited for his last heart beat.

Three.

Jakotsu squatted to the bamboo floor briefly, and in a lightening-quick moment he shot back up. His arms released me as I soared up at a forty-five degree angle. I jammed my foot into the small window quickly as gravity took its role, and my nimble fingers clamped around the opening. I shot a swift smile down at my savoir as I climbed through my entrance.

The pot lights from the roof had left half the deck in shade, in my favor. Grinning, refreshed excitement in my blood, I leaned against the wooden wall as I skirted around the balcony. Being extremely alert to the movements below-- Kouga's and the gathering crowd-- I used all my joints as I fluidly over-emphasized my movements. With every movement, large or minimal, I took a small breath. Doing this trained technique would not produce any unneeded muscle tension, and would help me not release a loud gasp if I was startled— giving away my position.

Mentally deciding on a spot to observe from, I crouched down to the floor, my body hidden by the balcony's wooden front. My eyes skimmed the weapon wall to my left, looking for something reflective enough.. _Ah_, looking into a kama blade, I dimly saw Kouga's figure in the buffed metal. I felt the doors shutter slightly below me, as Inuyasha walked into the kama's mirroring steel.

"I was wondering why your wolf-ass was still standing— Where's Rin?"

I heard Kouga growl slightly in irritation. I also saw him turn towards Inuyasha while doing so, leaving his back exposed. _Ah, thank you Inu._

Now.

I crouched even closer to the floor, tightly grabbed the balcony's top railing, and launched myself up and over. I barely managed to see Inuyasha's gloating smirk, as I landed on Kouga's back— feet first. The youkai fell forward in shock, face almost pressing against the tatami mats, if it wasn't for his lightening-quick reflects. His strong arms braced the floor, and for a mere second I wondered if I had accidentally jumped onto him too hard.

"Kouga?"

I immediately regretted my words when he pushed off with his arms, his legs flipping up into the air. I scarcely had enough time to feel his muscles moving in his back, and sprint away from Kouga. He was back on his feet, the second I turned to him from the other side of the dojo.

"Uncalled for." I heard him growl.

I simply shrugged, appearing to be nonchalant. Though on the inside, I was screaming like a hyper five year old.

Koga: zero.

"I'm gonna hurt you _bad_, Rin."

"Like to see you try, you _wimpy wolf_."

Inuyasha gave a loud laugh, which echoed a few of the crowd's. Kouga's warning growl became louder, and it echoed through his madly twitching tail.

I barely saw him disappear from my sight.

_Oh, shi.._

I sprinted to the tall weapon's wall, thousands of different dangerous things glinting down at me. Running up the wall slightly, my jeans angrily repressing against my leg's movements, my fingers snagged a black pudao. Just in time too. I brought the staff above my head, just barely managing to get it up in time, before Kouga's katana hit the oak hilt. Pushing the blade-end closer to him, I swung my body to the side, our blades squealing as my right knee knocked into Kouga's thick head. I dropped to the floor, barely missing Kouga's swinging sword over my head. Almost. A few strands of my hair snowed to the ground.

A little flame sparked inside me.

"I never knew you wanted to be a hair dresser, Kouga!" I laughed madly, somersaulting away, as his blade sunk into a mat where I just was. I saw Jakotsu glare at Kouga, and it fueled my giggling.

I continued to dance away from Kouga, his shimmering blade mere inches from my t-shirt. I could hear Jakotsu's angry hiss from across the dojo, before the impact even registered to me. A large black-leathered medicine ball had hit my shoulder. Right on my pulsing wound. Pain erupted around the edges of my bandage, and the pudao loosened a bit in my grip. My eyes scoured over my wrapped-up shoulder, seeing no blood penetrate my thin grey t-shirt.

"_You insignificant piece of shit!_" I seethed, turning my burning eyes onto him. Kouga stood away from me, his infamous grin flashing in the bright lights. "I never knew you as one to take cheap shots!" I continued to castigate.

"Thought you were tough, Rin, since when did you start wearing a skirt?" He laughed, his smile getting larger by the minute. I felt my blood blister— but my reaction after his next comment, was nothing compared to this.

"Or maybe you're getting soft, because you have Sesshoumaru pining after you? A big bad man, to take away your worries and make you actually feel human?"

Flashes of my own hands slicing people's throats, my fingers pulsing angrily against the trigger of my guns, and my blank expression as I did so, raced across my vision like a transparent film-negative roll. Those people weren't humans— twisted beings hell-bent on slaughtering their own families, raping young children in neighborhood parks, gambling away their stolen goods and then hiring a hooker on a dark street to do under-the-table favors, just so the prostitute could afford a meal the next day.

"I AM HUMAN!" I screamed viciously, snapping my figure up from the ground, and launching myself towards him.

I lifted my blade cholericly, and sliced in multiple strikes. Kouga dodged each one, but barely. My sharp blade caught the tip of his pony tail, the next, left a paper-thin cut in his shirt. A flicker of Kouga's horrified eyes sparkled in my vision, "Rin?" He questioned in shock. A dark smile pulled my lips to the sides, "Who else?" I returned, snapping my leg out and shoving it _hard_ against his ribs. The youkai stumbled back, but instantly rolled onto his feet. He launched himself at me, grasping my wrists that held my weapon.

The monster inside me did not like that.

I arched my back, used his chest as a launch-board, and back-flipped out of his iron grip. The same nefarious expression crossed my dry lips, and I threw myself back at him, holding my blade back like a machete. My vision was starting to darken, as my swings got closer to his sweating skin, and I barely took notice of people crossing to room to the youkai's aid. The monster beneath my skin roared at their betrayal.

Something dark, had taken root in my body.

"Someone stop her!"

"-ook at her!"

"-stop!"

"— eyes are _red_!"

"Rin!"

My heels dug into the mat and I spun angrily, the wooden part of my pudao smacking into hard bodies.

_Kill!_ My head screamed at me. _Kill! Kill! KILL! _

Power I have never felt before sucked into my body in large douses. My blood began to burn angrily beneath my skin, and my body's movements became sharper, almost lightning quick..

_Click._

A cold gun pressed to the nape of my neck— But that wasn't what held my body frozen. My vision had become extremely high-defined..

"SESSHOMARU!"

The word peeled the anger from my skin, and I felt a heavy weight tumble off my shoulders. Hearing hurried feet towards me, I whirled around— but not fast enough. There were a few loud snaps, a vicious word or two, and then the gun that was against my neck, was sliding across the tadami mats. This all happened too fast for human eyes.

_THUD!_

Stars swirled in my vision as my cracked head pressed against the wooden dojo wall. I hissed through my teeth, pain gnawing sharply against my molars and bruising spine. If I didn't recognize those light amber hues, and silken silver strands clouding my twisting vision, I would've not gone against the angelic appearance. But I did.

My pinned wrists twisted nastily under his clawed grip, my fallen eyes glaring at his loose black yukata. I tried to make my gag-reflexes function at seeing a large sliver of his pale chiseled stomach.

"_ENOUGH!_"

I ignored him and viciously attempted to tug my arms away from his grasp, firmly keeping my head bowed from his burning eyes. The little voice inside me, was telling me to obey him. Clawed fingers locked around my jaw, and pulled my eyes to meet his. I decided to favor my peripheral vision instead. He wouldn't have that either, so he pressed his tall body against mine. My clear cinnamon eyes snapped up to his red ones in shock and chagrin, and I desperately attempted to feel disgusted. Izayoi was probably enjoying our closeness.

… and I _didn't_ want to be enjoying it either.

Everyone held their breath, as Sesshoumaru's gasping growls filled the thick air. "No more." He hissed.

I opened my chapped lips to retaliate in some form— but his sharp canines bore at my physical rebuke. Acidic words burned through his perfect teeth. "Do not dare to _ever _participate in a match again, despite how pathetic each side is. I will _not tolerate_ my mate injured in any way; you are to remain in _perfect_ _condition_!" He snarled, his teeth baring closer to my face.

The jumbled levers in my head finally snapped together with loud reassurance.

My eyes widened— "No.."

I meant for it be emphatic and opposing, and yet a defeated sob slithered limply from my lips.

I wasn't just being held here because it _wasn't _safe outside; Sesshomaru had indirectly _ordered_ to make me to stay. Everyone was following his instructions, convincing me to bunk, because he was a family member of the Yakuza. I was his imprinted future-mate, and this realization had tears flooding between my clenched eyelashes. Izayoi had said, that an imprinted pair was deeply connected.. as in, no matter how much he hated me, Sesshomaru would _kill _himself if I died. This wasn't romantic devotion— this bastard simply didn't care about me. He was selfish, and wanted to live without an Achilles' heel! He didn't even bat an eye, upon deciding to trap me inside the mansion. He'd probably keep me locked in a cage for the rest of my life.

What was left of my heart.. shattered.

"_I'm not your_—_!_" I started to choke out.

"_YOU. ARE. MINE._"

I could feel the gush of my tears, flowing freely from my eyes. I could feel the gut-wrenching sob stuck sideways in my throat. I could even feel the pressure of his hard grasp on my hip, his nails piercing my clothes.. but not my skin. He wouldn't physically hurt me. My body would be kept in pristine condition.

I could still feel the bits of my torn heart, some of it on the floor.. In a sudden snap of movement, his arms released me, and pulled my arms above my head. His strong hands gripped angrily at my now criss-crossed wrists. However, this wasn't what had my heart on the floor, beating out a tormented rhythm.

His warm mouth was an inch from my exposed neck, his heavy gusts of breath fanning against my trembling skin. I could feel the shivers race down my body, and settle onto the area where his lips were hovering. My ears picked up his next movement, and it sent my heart doing a strangled lap. Small gasps erupted in numbers around the dojo, so I knew I wasn't imagining it. It felt like someone just picked my heart off the floor, washed it under cold water, and jabbed it back in between my fragile ribs.

Sesshomaru was baring his exposed teeth, at my jugular vein.

He was asking for submission.

And I knew, _I knew_ better.. but my unresponsive body did not. My leg lifted sharply upwards, in between his frame and mine, and straightened out angrily. The action of my heel into his shocked body, as I watched him fall back from me, made his iris's snap back into their original golden form.

I also took note of how that fact, released the strangled sob in my throat.

No, he didn't truly care for me.

His youkai did.

* * *

My head felt heavier, as the blood continued to rush to my forehead. I didn't move an inch from my bowed posture. My teeth began to subconsciously grit together. How was I supposed to know, that Sesshomaru's wound was still in the healing process? I blocked out the murmuring voices from outside the room. The clock ticked dully, contrasting against the loud whispers in the hall.

Using the back of my hand, I wiped away the loose hair strands on my forehead. My eyes never left the silent rhythmic fall and rise of his bandaged chest. Frustration flickered in my eyes, and I clenched my teeth harder. How was I supposed to know, that even though the imprinting wasn't complete, we would be connected this deeply? Even InuTashio, who's over six-hundred years old, was stupefied. He had said, unless either his son had seen me before that night, or if I had seen him— there was no logical reason.

After Sesshomaru had lost his temper in turn with me, it wasn't even minutes later; after I had kicked him away from me, he collapsed to a bloody heap on the floor. At first we all thought it was due to his injuries, and his loud objection to being babied and nursed. But when Kagome, best contender with her medical knowledge and ability, had pushed away the top of his bloodied yukata — it wasn't just his deep wounds that were appalling, but the large irritated rashes all over his chest. Youkai's could become sick, fatally injured, even loose a limb.. but they couldn't get skin infections like chicken pox, scars.. or rashes.

The reason why the red marked not only his chest, but his arms, his face, his fingers.. ? I bowed my head deeper, my hands shielding my face.

Imprinted couples felt each others feelings, internal and exterior. Only angry emotions physically appeared on the skin, in either angry red welts or rashes. Sesshomaru, who at the time, was bed ridden; felt my appalling hysterical horror, depression, and undeniable anger— he left his room, in search of these emotions. He instinctively sought me out, full intention of calming me.

I sighed deeply through my mouth, black strands of my hair sticking to my wet lips.

I still couldn't believe that I had become so angry with Kouga, that I drained Sesshomaru's youkai strength from him— because we were connected deeply enough, I could borrow his stamina when I needed it the most. And obviously, doing such a thing would be a great advantage. But it left with your partner weak, and the other, enraged beyond calming with reason.

I had only stopped, because Sesshomaru had found me..

Lord Sesshomaru, _ugh_.

Yes, he had serious issues, his problems with the murky past, disgust in Izayoi so much— that he hated all humans, females, the _Yakuza_. My heart clenched painfully. How were you supposed to care for someone, when they hated everything that you were? Sesshomaru's problems weren't new; they had been festering inside him, ever since his mother left the Yakuza. These issues were under two hundred years of solid rock. I didn't have that kind of tenacity.

The clock turned again, I finally came to a weak conclusion, which had my little internal voice screaming at me. My body, my soul, it yearned for this odd being. However, I, had no intention of replying to the internal hunger. You couldn't force someone to change, unless they willingly agreed. He and I.. were just too different. Sure, being human meant you were weak, mortal (despite the fact I could be immortal, if Sesshomaru _claimed _me), and drowning in scales of emotions. But I loved being human. I enjoyed being a woman, being powerful in my own right, being proud of my curvaceous body—Even though the monthly Mother Nature attacks could go to hell. And the Yakuza? This organization, was much more than a _mob_.. it was my home. They were my family, took care of me, always there no matter what hour, despite any price tag. The small price I had to pay was attacking the bad guys and saving the semi innocent.

"There's nothing wrong with us," I whispered.

A soft knock tapped against the door, I didn't bother to take my eyes off the sleeping figure.

"I'll take the next shift, Rin. Get some sleep; you look like you need it."

I shrugged off Jakotsu's hand, and turned from the room. My pale hand lingered briefly on the door knob, as furious arguments sifted through my head. I managed to beat back a few unnerving desires and statements. No, I wasn't watching over Sesshomaru, because we were apparently imprinted, or felt the need to repay for my outburst at him. I felt no such things. I, Rin, was protecting the Takahashi family, even if the one I was watching over was a complete infernal asshole.

No, I was just doing my job, as a Yakuza member.

"Rin."

I had made it down a flight of stairs that took me to the main foyer— Which was now blanketed in packed suitcases, bursting backpacks, and large black weapon cases. InuTashio stood in the large sea, his face tired with everything but exhaustion.

My eyes widened as I took in the equipment.

"What's going on?" I choked.

The man paused, rubbing his temple slightly.

"We are all leaving in order to do a thorough sweep of information, since we've had a hit of intriguing material from America come in play, from one of our stationed resources. Since there are also many people in Osaka, Sesshomaru and Jaken in the house, we've decided it will be safe enough to leave you here— So we can personally check out sites."

"Kagome is going as well?" I spat, "Even through she's due any day?"

He sighed, "Inuyasha isn't.. enthusiastic about it, but she's assures him she'll back out and return home when the slightest danger surfaces."

I tried desperately from something to make someone stay behind with me; I didn't want to be alone with _him_!

"Bu.. But S—" I gritted my teeth as I tried to speak him name, "What about _Sesshomaru's _wounds? What if his condition worsens? I don't have as much youkai medical knowledge as Kagome-san or Sango."

"My son is fine; his wounds are healing up nicely. He should be able to leave his bed in a few days."

In a few days? I felt ice sear up through my bones.

"Rin, he will not harm you again."

"But he hates me, as I hate him." I whispered through clenched teeth.

"Sesshomaru is.. more 'composed' normally. You just took him by surprise the first day."

"The dojo?" I reminded.

"He felt you emotions haywire, so as long as you keep them in check, he will not check on you. Though I wish.." I sent him a look, which he was oblivious to. "Rin, you are like a daughter to me, even before the imprinting occurred. I wish you would try to at least be near Sesshomaru, more than a few minutes each day. And not park yourself dutifully over his hospital bed, but because you _want_ to be near him."

"I will never volunteer to _want _him, sir."

"Rin.."

I ignored his softer tone, and turned away from him. "See you in a few weeks." I hissed. Briskly I departed the conversation, and began my decent to the basement dojo.

The household was empty in an hour.

Every metal shard the dummy across the room received, I pictured the model giving a grimace of pain. After a while of throwing shuriken, poison darts, and launching spears, sweat beaded my brow, and glued my clothes to my skin. When I picked up the back wall's last hanging weapon, I turned the naginata blade towards the feeble manikin, and launched myself forward. I curled myself around the doll in a flash-movement pace, and brought my blade around, swinging it like a katana. I had full intention of beheading the manikin, until my face twirled to meet the face-less head.

The pole tumbled from my hands.

Gasping slightly, I blinked my wide eyes furiously, as the alarming vision of a blue crescent moon and maroon youkai stripes, washed away from the white life-sized doll. Ice speared through my limbs, and I sat benumbed cross-legged on the floor. My heart beat was throbbing so roughly, I could feel the heavy patterned pulse in my toes.

After a few uncounted minutes, when I finally stood again, I shoved away the naginata weapon away from me.

_Bzzt. Bzzt._

My dark eyebrows scrunched together in confusion, feeling my thigh vibrate from my cell phone in my pocket. Fishing out my plastic contraption, my eyes dilated at the familiar glowing name. Hastily pressing the little green phone button, I tugged the telephone to my unpierced ear.

"Asami?"

"-_in- el-wareho-ow_!"

The contrasting static had me pressing the phone tightly to my head, alarm sparking into my heart.

"Asami! I can't hear you!"

"_Save-club o-help-RIN-HEL-ME_!"

_Click._

I gyrated on the spot. The little toad youkai, Jaken, stood outside the shoji doors. If I wasn't in this sudden predicament, I would've felt awe from the waves of worry coming from the green blob. The dead line from the phone, beeped softly in my fallen arm. The doors slid open slightly.

"Rin-sama?"

Cheeky bastard had to respect me now, knowing who I was imprinted to. But even that knowledge, didn't cause any amusement to my spiking anguish. I looked away from his large hazel eyes, frowning with fake exasperation. "What is it?" I sighed, subtly putting a twinge of irritation in my words. I had to play this out like a mission, if this was going to work out.

I ignored the penetrating gaze on my face. I should leave no evidence behind— even emotional. Closing my eyes briefly, happy colorful memories floating over my mind, peace coated my distressed adrenaline.

"Jaken?" I called again.

I heard the small patter of his feet, slowly taking two steps forward. "Lord Sesshomaru." My grounded emotions twitched at the 'Lord' part. "Has sent me to inquire you."

I snorted, "Inquire?"

"He had felt discomfort from you."

"Of course I'm going to feel discomfort!" I snapped, my eyes narrowing at the tadami floor. "_Who_ would be comfortable with being forced to stay with a selfish, incompetent, heinous, iniquitous, barbarian who calls himself a _Lord_! I will not serve, obey, or submit to any man or youkai as their _mate_!"

I turned from the toad demon, my heart pulsing loudly in my veins. I had to calm down. _Way to play it cool, Rin._ My mind drawled.

"Will Rin-_sama_ please accompany me to his Lord's room?"

I could hear his teeth grinding against each other— he didn't like my little outburst.

_No evidence, Rin._

"I am fine," I spoke. "Tell him, I am just stretching out my muscles, since I'm being cooped up in this place. If I'm sweating, I'm obviously going to have adrenaline. There's nothing to worry about."

Emotional prying bastard.

"I will tell him when the Lord awakes."

My breath hitched.

_Asami._

But Jaken was gone by the time the tiny noise made itself known. I eyed the private dojo changing rooms across the room, well knowing there was empty duffel bags and dojo practice clothing in the cupboards.

I was gone before Sesshomaru awoke.

* * *

a/n:_It'll give me inspiration to write sooner, knowing people actually enjoy my writing. Like I said, I won't continue the story, if I feel no one really cares.._

_Please review~  
_

Ja, ne.


	3. T

_Eat You Up

* * *

  
_

Summary:

**She's fierce, a respected Yakuza member. And yet forced to stay behind, playing nurse for an arrogant inuyoukai? With someone trying to kill her and being suddenly 'imprinted'- Rin doesn't what's worse: forced to love Sesshomaru, or being assassinated.

* * *

  
**

_Quick __vocal__:_

* Gizena_ (Gee-za-na)[The yakuza that InuTashio created over 460 years ago.]_

* Traceuses_ [A girl who does__ parkour_]

* Parkour_ [Is an activity with the aim of moving from one point to another as efficiently and quickly as possible, using principally the abilities of the human body. It is meant to help one overcome obstacles, which can be anything in the surrounding environment—from branches and rocks to rails and concrete walls—and can be practiced in both __rural__ and __urban areas__.]_

* LMG_ [Literally: Light Machine Gun]_

* Ashiko _[Japanese foot spikes, used to help climb; increase's your ability ten-fold]_

* Jika-Tabi shoes_ [A type of heavy-duty footwear worn in Japan, with a traditional split-toe __Japanese__ foot. They were also worn by Shinobi to give the footprints the appearance of an animal. Also used because they suppressed much sound made by stepping.]_

* Shinobi shozoku _[A type of dark-colored __keikogi__ clothing, traditionally worn by practitioners of the __Japanese __martial art__ of __ninjutsu__.]_

* Manrikigusari _[A traditional __Japanese __chain weapon__ with two steel-weights on the ends designed to strike, ensnare or trap an opponent.]_

* Chaise longue _[__An __upholstered__ couch__ in the shape of a __chair__ that is long enough to support the legs.]_

* Tanto _[A Japanese dagger.]

* * *

  
_

Hundreds upon thousands of bright tiny boxes glowed magnificently from my perched view. It was like the invisible starry sky, was painted on the surface of the earth. The multicolored Osaka city lights shimmered against my dark outfit— my _Halloween_ outfit. The thin ebony cotton that covered my face, except my eyes, felt incredibly silly. I never wore such disguise crap in my entire career in Inutashio's yakuza. The _Gizena _shouldn't need to adorn such petty clothing. Yet here I was, a fierce Gizena member, wearing a bed sheet around my head. _Inuyasha would've pissed his pants if he saw this_, my mind grumbled. Sighing, I pushed away the mental images of my friend busting a gut, and waited on the cold sky-scraper roof top as the night unraveled.

The reason why I was actually wearing a ninja get-up? It wasn't because it was cold up here, on this, _oh_, sixty or fifty foot high building. It mainly had to do that every underworld corporation has eyes on my neck. A head-to-toe disguise was necessary at this point in time— especially since _he _probably already called out Gizena members in the area, to locate me. Good luck to those idiots, since I was like a needle in a haystack.

The smoggy air began to turn pitch black, as I continued to pursue the idea of just turning myself in for the cash, and buying a remote island somewhere _far_ away: Excruciatingly tempting. Plucking my silent-mode phone from my side pocket, I clicked a small button to illuminate the current time— 1:19 AM.

Club Ozone would be packed to the ceiling.

Stretching my arms up, cracking a few joints, I slid my phone back into place and unzipped the large duffle bag at my feet. Tapping the tip of my ashiko and jika-tabi shoes on the rooftop, I brought the blackened grappling hook up into the city's reflected light, my eyes scouring over its claws. There were no hairlines or worry-some dents— good. I didn't have time to check my weapons; I had been in a rush to leave the mansion. Pulling out a heavy bundle of rope, with thick knots made every three feet, I attached the eyelet end to the chain of the grappling hook.

The night was obsidian; no one could see my movements. Bracing my legs, I swung the hook on my right side, like a helicopter's blades. Upon reaching a fast pace, and eying the metal fire-escape stairs attached to the building—over thirty-five feet away— I released my grasp and let the four-pronged instrument fly. My fishing lure snagged between two metal bars, and I tugged the rope to make sure the hook's position was sturdy. Tying my end of the rope to a thick steel bar, randomly cemented on the roof top, I zipped up my duffel bag and wore it like a backpack.

Letting out a deep gust of air from my lungs, I stretched my arms up high, popping a few joints. Carefully edging to the side of the building I had been staking out on, my fingers clutched the rope. Unlike some of the Gizena members, I preferred goat-leathered gloves to hand chalk, for scaling buildings and climbing ropes. And the one time I did use chalk, my hands were gushing out blood at the end of it all. My gloved hands tightly held the lifeline, as I pushed off from the edge, and curved my legs around the cable. Positive I was ready, my left hand shot out behind my head on the rope, as my right tabi boot hooked onto a knot. Quickly, my right hand went back, and my left boot forward. Immediately, I was racing backwards towards the opposite building.

Less than ten minutes later, I was silently prowling down a hallway.

I had wasted my vile of industrial hydrochloric acid on the roof's locked door handle, broke down a few doors quietly as physically possible, and surpassed a blinking camera, when I made it down this hopeful looking corridor. The hall was dim because of the black-lighted rooms, and I thanked my dark suit for being black. My breath caught softly in my throat—I pressed my back hastily against the wall. A drunken man with two equally intoxicated skin-baring girls, stumbled out into the hall. Their giggles and inebriated sexual comments faded in the passageway, as the trio stumbled into another VIP room.

I pushed away from the wall and delicately tip-toed down the hall. Using the cracks between and underneath the doors, I passed over several rooms, none holding any key information conversations or the familiar sound of Asami's breathing pattern. Frustration began to seep into me, when I hit the Jack Pot. The door was different than the others—with a frosted window, and a golden plaque on the wood. The etched words on the yellow plate, were spelt out in a _Lucida sans_ font— Naraku Inugomo_._

_Hmm, have to remember that name_.. I noted, genially curious that the person didn't ring any bells. The sound of flirtatious giggling caught my ears, and I pulled myself closer to the door.

"—real hot. You sure you don't have _too_ much clothing on?"

"Another round, Cherry?"

"Banzai!"

Sounded like an exclusive VIP staff party.

_Won't be so exclusive, very soon_.. I grinned, while slipping on a pair of brass knuckles. Leaning my weight on my one crouched foot, poised underneath me, I arched my right leg— and sent it directly at the door.

Just as I kicked it open, a second door within the room, smashed open noisily.

The offending wooden rectangle fell at their feet, as a stream of dangerous looking people exited the second room— and everyone stopped dead when they saw me dressed in my shinobi shozoku. My fingers twitched at my sides. Asami was held in an awkward embrace by the _head honcho_ of the group, all limbs wrapped in a thick rope. Her dark iris's framed her mascara tear stains.

I could smell the kerosene-soaked bondage's from here.

"Don't move or we'll slice her pretty neck!" The feeble leader threatened. My heart picked up when I saw a small knife glint beside her swallowing throat. I held still. "Remove your mask." Hissed the man, his eyes narrowed beneath his dark shades.

I angrily ripped the black from my face, and let the material fall from my finger tips. I sneered when their eyes widened in shock upon seeing me; an eye-full of the face that was worth a hefty reward price.

"Shit, it's _Rin_!"

"I didn't think she'd be here!"

"This school girl is _that _important?"

"—seven _billion_!"

"GET HER!"

My murky cinnamon eyes fell upon my friend's horrified expression—like a child finding out the monster in her closet was real. ..I had to protect Asami, even if it meant loosing her because I was in a yakuza.

A man came directly at me, and I jumped up high. My fingers clasped around a hanging water-sprinkler pipe and I swung myself back then forward within an eye's blink. Letting go as I shot forward, my body went through the thin area between the ceiling and my attackers head. Doing a parkourroll, I got to my knees, and then swirled my leg around me. A few men fell as they tripped over my foot.

Pushing myself, I jumped with one leg onto a table, while the other smashed into the face of an ugly guy. Using the leverage of his face, I hurtled into the air.

The few that had been other-wise preoccupied, still holding onto loose girls in skimpy skirts, sat on a leather sectional. So while soaring forward, I grasped the back of that couch, and swung myself in between a pair of gaping men. Fluttering my lashes seductively, catching their attention briefly, my arms went up, crossed over the other, and I shot my fists right into their surprised mouths. Feeling the cracking of their bones under my knuckles, and their bodies responding to my actions, I rolled onto the floor—barely missing their hairy punches.

Two men stood in front of me now. One of them brought out a black gun, and I quickly kicked my foot into his hand. Too bad the bastard didn't see the foot spikes on my boot. Once the gun dropped, the other guy whipped down a manrikigusari at me. The length of the fighting chain wrapped nastily around my raised ankle, but I rolled backwards, snapping the guys grip from his weapon.

Quickly unraveling the chain from my leg, I threw it right back at my attacker. It curled unmercifully around his thick neck, and he fell to floor in strangled cries and choking gurgles. The remaining bastards pulled out their guns, realizing they were all royally screwed for fucking around with me. I could deal with their choice. An infamous grin stretched across my lips. My right hand snapped over my shoulder, and my fingers went into the cloth wrapped around me. I whipped out my illegal LMG and rained hell.

I only got a round out, before Gizena members smashed their way into the war zone. Black-covered bodies were everywhere. Fists were flying, legs were swinging, knives were carving through chests, and the smell of gun powered smoked the room. I was caught between shock and horror as the scene continued.

A surge of _power_ smashed into my system, as I watched Asami be carried out of the room. Her screams were smothered by the cloth wrapped around her mouth. Gritting my teeth, I shot forward. A group of four were running down the dim hallway, three of them youkai. A dark rumble echoed in my throat, as I raced towards the cowards. And _power_, oh, more _power_ drilled into my body.

My feet became quicker, and I just let my body dissolve in the exhilarating strength being sucked into me. "GIVE HER BACK TO ME!" I roared, as they rounded a sharp corner. My foot made a _dent_ in the cement wall, as I used it while vaulting off the ground and wall.

Dark tresses of my hair, was trailing behind me, as I forced my legs faster. I was gaining on them—until one of the youkai men, a snake, turned around while running. A malicious smile curved his lips, as his hand threw something at me.

A smoke bomb laced with reptile venom.

_Fucking cheater._

The object exploded in the air, as I halted and tried to retreat. However, aid arrived. A cold mask was abruptly pressed against my nose and mouth, and elastic straps were tightened around the back of my head. My fogged vision recognized the artistic emblem of InuTashio's yazuka on a clothed shoulder, and I relaxed my tense muscles.

"Is someone still chasing down the remaining four?" I yelled through the clear mask.

Throughout the charcoal smoke, I could hear the silent answer.

".. Lady Rin, Lord Sesshomaru is waiting for you on the bottom floor." A voice rang.

"I'm not going anywhere, until someone fucking tells me: we have those bastards who took my friend!" I hissed, smacking away the hand that had grasped my shoulder. The owner of the hand, turned me to face him. Bright green eyes and markings curved in irregular patterns on their forehead—it was Toriko, a _Magnificent Hummingbird_ youkai.

His firm eyes held mine, "Rin, we put a tracker behind the girl's ear. That's all we can do for now."

"But they were just here!" I continued, "I could've had them!"

"Perhaps." Toriko agreed, placing a hand under my armpit, to help me up. "But you would've put your life on the line."

"So what? The asshole's got away.." I grumbled, letting my guide lead me through the smog.

"Rin.." Toriko voiced warned. A few members passed us, gas-masks on, while they held machines that would suck out the toxic air. We were protectors, not killers of the innocent. I watched with mild interest as Toriko pressed the glowing circle button repeatedly. "Where's the fire?" I commented with a raised eyebrow.

The bird youkai pursed his lips, before giving me a withering look. "Lord Sesshomaru, isn't in the best of moods."

My gasp of realization echoed softly in my mask.

Shit.. I had forgotten I left the mansion without permission—Entered a building brimming with people who could be my assassins—Got myself in a battle—And just about died of poisoning.

_I opened my chapped lips to retaliate in some form— but his sharp canines bore at my physical rebuke. Acidic words burned through his perfect teeth. "Do not dare to _ever_participate in a match again, despite how pathetic each side is. I will _not tolerate _my mate injured in any way; you are to remain in _perfect condition_!" He snarled, his teeth baring closer to my face._

Right_.. _not the best of moods_._

_His Lordliness is just having a hissy fit, because his Achilles' heel was out and about. Whatever,_ my mind commented.

Yeah.. hissy fit.

The doors shut behind us.

* * *

The elevator door had barely finished opening on the last floor, the main dance area, when the feeling of impending doom hit me like one of Sango's slaps. I could see Toriko's previous smile turn into cement, the second the doors completely opened. Toriko didn't even make a sound as we weaved through moving couples, the darkness of the club and it's flashing colored lights bouncing over our heads—No one noticed our ninja costumes. A tall figure was becoming pronounced by the front doors, as was the waves of intent torture-giving.

It was Sesshomaru alright—but human style.

I think my jaw dropped.

His long silver hair had been dyed dark ebony, inherited eyes a musky brown, and he left behind his traditional clothing for a dark suit and a blood-red tie. I tried to ignore the attractive way his long legs, strong lean shoulders and toned stomach, looked in the pin stripes. Even with a demon disguise charm, this man made my betraying heart race._ And I'm resisting him, because?.. _my body called. I immediately squashed my sudden lusting, and tried to make myself tall. "What do you want?" I said in a flat tone. "You ruined my rescue plan, and my night out."

That bastard smirked.

"This is where you go on your _night_ _out_?" He mused, voice tight and hard.

_Oh, shit.. _

Why couldn't I keep my fucking filthy mouth shut?

Those transformed eyes captured mine, and held my body paralyzed. I could barely breathe..

"Get in the car, now." Sesshomaru voiced.

"But, Asami!" I argued back.

He didn't need his inhuman strength to prove his way of thinking—his words were razor sharp icicles piercing into my warm body. "You have no opinion in this matter," Sesshomaru bit out. "Get in the car." I could feel my boiling blood simmer higher, and I wasn't giving the satisfaction of knowing he pushed my buttons.

"No." I said firmly, my hands fists at my sides. "They put a bug on Asami, and I want to find her now, before they take her somewhere unreachable—_Guhh!_"

Sesshomaru abruptly grabbed my arm roughly, his hands like handcuffs around my limb. I tried dragging my feet, but he just pulled me harder. He pushed his way through the doors, and out into the cool spring air. Jerking my upper arm in his grip, he ignored my struggles and walked up to a tinted-window limo.

Was this guy so special, he had his own _stretched Hummer_?

At this point, my bright eyes taking in the expensive ride, I was too shocked to fight back anymore. But time sped up once Sesshomaru scooped me briefly in his arms, and shucked me into the leather seats. The door slammed behind me, as I tried to shut my gaping jaw. Red blazed across my cheeks—because I had been so intimately close to him— and I hissed in embarrassed fury. Turning my head away from the opposite door, I tried to hide my pink face from him, as he stepped into the limo. It wasn't a few minutes later, after the clinking of alcohol bottles and crystal cups, that he spoke.

"Do you have any idea, how much shit you're in. You stupid little girl?"

My teeth began to grit together, and I clenched them harder against each other, trying to not let him get the best of me.

"Big _fucking_ whoop." I hissed through my teeth.

_I'd do it all over again, to save Asami._

A glass snapped into pieces behind me. Sharp needles pricked me suddenly in my right palm, and I instantly whipped my head around in astonishment. Dark blood dripped to the floor noisily. Still remained in his regal posture on the seat adjoined with mine, Sesshomaru stared blankly at me with an oozing injured hand. The broken pieces of glass sparkled like diamonds, as they stuck out from his palm at nasty angles.

Dark amber eyes held mine. "Always look at the person who addresses you." He shook his hand sharply, dislodging pieces of glass that had sunk into his pale skin.

I tried to move my word-less lips, but not even a squeak came from my dry throat. Why had he crushed the glass? Besides trying to just achieve my attention— and why _did _he want my attention? Wasn't he supposed to be disgusted with me, not get all flustered if I ignored _his grace_?

He smoothed his gaping, germ-infested, wound across his pant leg.

Seriously? Lord Sesshomaru here was wiping grim on his clothes, like a kid wiping his dirty mouth across the sleeve of his shirt? Didn't this guy have manners? A quick snippet of memory of Inuyasha eating hot barbecue wings danced through my head..

_Kagome and I stood across the kitchen island while Inuyasha literally devoured two extremely large bowls of chicken wings. Orange hot-sauce was painted around his continuously moving lips. Noticing he had company, the inu youkai grinned—with slivers of chicken between his canines— and unconsciously, _disgustingly,_ wiped his mouth with the back of his hand._

_My newly-contract-approved sister eyed her fiancé with disdain, while I continued to stare at him with half-bandaged eyes and a gaping mouth._

_Inuyasha continued to grin, "Hey, Kags? Can you pass the napkins?"_

_Remember, he's_ Inuyasha's _sibling_, my mind recalled dully. I gritted my molars, as my hands twitched in worry. _Just leave him alone_, my mind spat. _He doesn't deserve the slightest acknowledgment._

_But he's hurt.. _Came a tiny voice_._

"What are you staring at, Takamira?" I ignored his tone— my clear eyes had zeroed on his bloody palm.

I didn't have control of my limbs, they just moved on their own.

Without even blinking an eye, I launched myself across the leather interior and settled myself in his lap. Which felt oddly comfortable, and odd all together— why wasn't he dumping me to the floor? His widened eyes never registered to me, as I quickly unlooped his silk tie, and slithered it gently from around his neck. My small fingers grasped his left wrist, and I managed to pluck most of the chunks of glass out, before I set to work on cleaning the bleeding wound. Reaching behind my back, I grabbed a random alcohol bottle. Unscrewing the aluminum lid, I put it gently between my lips and dumped the bottle over the deep gash. My eyes flicked up to his briefly, whose own were staring up at the ceiling in boredom— this really didn't hurt? I couldn't feel my palm aching anymore.. A piece of me felt relieved at that information, though normally such stamina like that would piss me off: since if someone poured salt in my wounds, I'd cry to no end.

Dropping the empty bottle on the floor, I carefully wrapped the red silk around his clean wound. Making sure the end folds were gently snug under another, I smiled slightly without thinking.

"_Hnn_. I really appreciate you using my own clothing this time— something not covered in a human stench."

The sudden all-too-real texture and hardness of his legs and hips between my thighs, created a red alert in my head. Sharply moving away, I instantly returned to my previous seat. I folded myself close to the door; eyes locked outside on the scenery, and desperately trying to not feel mortified that I had just been on his lap.

"No point in getting work up, over a paper cut. This will heal in less than an thirty minutes." His flat voice echoed.

I barely managed a defensive tone, "S-shut up."

As the city lights passed us in a blur, my clear eyes continued to watch them through the tinted window. I allowed myself a deep sigh, and it rattled my emotions. I was supposed to hate the bastard, and yet here I was— nursing his fucking wounds. I was emotionally caving in to this ridiculous idea of _imprinting_. Where are my assassins when I need them?

_But_.. My eyes shifted to the side slightly, and I gazed at the mirrored reflection from inside the limo. Sesshomaru still remained in his rigid posture, but the wound I had just wrapped up, lay palm-up in the air. His amber hues were moving sharply, looking at every section of his make-shift bandage.

The tiny corners of his perfect lips were raised upwards in the very slightest way.

I couldn't tell if his expression was mocking.

"I'll be leaving later today," Sesshomaru spoke, the second our ride pulled in front of InuTashio's mansion.

My clear eyes narrowed, "Why?"

Sesshomaru slammed his door shut and started to leave the pebbled drive way. I scurried after him, irritation spilling over the edge. _What a jerk, waits for no one._ I opened my mouth to release my bitchy retort, when his cell phone went off. I tried listening in, because he was speaking so softly I couldn't even read his lips, but Sesshomaru glared me and walked into the house.

He had the phone closed before I managed to get inside the house.

"I take that back—I'm leaving now."

I hissed, "You get to go out? Why can't I go and help the other Gizena's search for Asami?"

"Because you almost got yourself killed." He said bluntly, taking his time up the main staircase. "And I'm not the one with a price tag around my neck."

"Fuck that." I spat, stalking up the stairs after him. "So you expect me to just stay here—paint my fingernails or some dumb shit, while my friend remains kidnapped and mentally tortured?"

"Paint them blue." Sesshomaru mocked, before entering a room on the second floor and shutting the door in my face. "It's my favorite color." The lock clicked.

I spluttered in shock, before banging my fist against the mahogany door. "I don't want to stay here!" I yelled. "And what if my big scary assassins find me? You expect me to fend them off, and yet you say I nearly got myself killed today? What do you want me to do, survive or die?"

His voice was muffled through the door, "Jaken will watch you."

"You expect to leave me in the protection of an amphibian?"

Sesshomaru's door opened and he brushed past me, as the so-named toad came down the hallway. "I am Jaken." The ugly-baby called.

Waving my hand at the angry little man, I followed after Sesshomaru, my fists shaking. My eyes followed him as he turned to descend the staircase, his fingers busy fixing the black tie of his suit. I ran past him, and stood in front of the stairs—not the most appealing defensive position, since he could just push me to my death.

"Then I'm coming with you." I carefully worded.

Sesshomaru smirked, pulling the new tie through its loops quickly, and snugly tightening it to his smooth throat. "Maybe another time, kitten."

_Kitten?_ What the hell?

Astonished, I eagle spread my arms out, boldly blocking his exit. He only raised a perfect eyebrow at my defiance, obviously amused that I had thought I could withhold him. "Woman, I'm in a rush. Could you remove your arms, before I do?"

Seeing that I wouldn't budge, he turned away, and walked an extremely short distance— Sesshomaru descended down the second side of the duel staircase. I rushed down the first set of stairs, to keep up to the same distance apart from him. "What the fuck, Sesshomaru! You're supposed to be protecting me, and yet you're leaving me here alone with a _frog_?" I growled at his retreating back. "In that case I hope I'm dead by the time you get back, maybe then Inuyasha will rip your head off!"

I reached the bottom, my chest heaving angrily.

A high-pitched gasp pushed between my lips, the second he flashed away from my vision. A clawed hand gently gripped my chin, while the other disappeared in my messy ebony tangles. My heart pumped twice the maximum capacity as his fingers brushed softly down my cheek, creating pleasant tingles across my skin. His thumb rested on my plump bottom lip, smoothing across it slightly. The other hand in my tangled tresses, was lightly massaging my aching scalp, when his deep voice whispered close to my ear.

"I'll always continue to protect you."

His hands began to draw away from my body, but his words continued.

"Even when you think I'm gone."

Once the large entrance door swung shut, my knees buckled and I landed on the floor with my legs under me in awkward positions. My breathing was ragged and irregular, and I could feel harsh conflict raging inside my body. ..It was his _youkai_ that was touching me, whispering nonsense words in my ears, subtly begging me to give in and accept these feelings my body was throwing at me—not Sesshomaru himself. Frustration poured from my fogging eyes.

Was.. wasn't I supposed to hate him?

And wasn't he supposed to hate me? A human? Not be curling me around his finger like a limp noodle? Growling loudly, smashing my balled fist into the marble floor, I physically halted my thoughts.

No.

I _hated_ him.

I was not some wanton woman he could pull around. Nor was I going to give into his touches and words. My teeth sharply gnashed against each other, and a tornado of anger rapidly grew inside me. I _hated_ him. I _fucking hated_ him! Who the hell did he think he was! Oh, great _Lord_ Sesshomaru?

Fuck this.

I was not going to continue being an exotic bird in an iron cage.

I'm leaving.

* * *

If I got myself killed while doing this—so be it. I hoped Sesshomaru would rot in hell.

Stuffing random clothes into the two large duffel bags— different colors and textures of t-shirts, pants, and sweaters— I did a mental check list of my travel supplies. Moving to my larger dresser drawers, my eyes briefly examined the sleeping girl haphazardly splayed across my cream chaise longue. Choko Nira, a lower-class numbered Gizena member. I had called her, asking her to bring luggage to the airport, to be sent off to America; since I couldn't do it myself, obviously due to my high-security, extremely alert gang members and awaiting assassins. It was all too easy to hit the 'snooze' muscle on her neck, binding her down to a good twenty-four hour nap.

Returning to my bulging luggage, packing in a few extra items—weapons, thick information files, a few bundles of fake credit cards— obvious reasons for these two suit-cases to make their trip to America. Plus, as special order from Rin Takamira, Sesshomaru's _special person_, there would be no questions at the drop-off.

Upon dumping out Choko's large purple purse, I stuffed it with extra disguise material. Cheap plastic-jewel encrusted big sunglasses, a red long haired wig, slutty heals, were all but jammed into the trendy purse.

Nodding at my packing job, I shifted my dark hair forward, over my eyes, and pulled Choko's bright-yellow jacket hood over my head. Gasping slightly, in Choko's extremely tight blue jeans, I leaned forward and grabbed the handles of the bags. Sucking in a deep breath, I turned off my bedroom lights, and shut the door softly. From Choko's file, it said she was a bit of a know-it-all, a little snippy (my favorite personality disorder), and ill-patient, but her heart was in the right place. After all, she joined InuTashio's organization, after her sister was killed in a hostage hold up. Not everyone that wanted to help save the world, one good deed at a time, was without a dark past or reason.

Padding down the staircase in her ballerina-like shoes, I jumped the last step and bee-lined for the door. Until a little green midget blocked my path. "And where are you going with those bags?" It demanded.

I sighed loudly, impatiently, and altered my voice.

"Little frog.. man. Move." I snapped.

Jaken's hazel eyes narrowed, "Why do you have Lady Rin's things? And why are you covered in her scent?"

"I'm doing her laundry!" I hissed, lowering my 'r''s and dragging my 'l''s. "Rin-chan said she didn't want her things touched by a dirty old pervert! So I helped her pack up her laundry so I could go wash them!"

"Why didn't she call one of the maids to do it?" He continued, arms akimbo.

"Because they only work on week days!"

Jaken stared at me, and I wondered if this little idiot would actually see through me. But, apparently not.

"Then get moving, ningen! I don't want Lady Rin upset in the morning!"

And Sesshomaru trusted my life to this moron? Nice.

Grumbling, I pushed through the large door, and hustled down the stone steps. Keeping my lips taunt with annoyance, knowing that the cameras outside were swiveled in my direction, I headed towards Choko's unlocked maroon jeep. I internally cringed at the 1995 Mazda's, buffed side door and dented tire rims. Shucking the heavy suitcases inside, I shut the door and walked around the jeep to the driver's side. Settling into the low seat, I placed the heavy purse onto the passenger seat, and fished Choko's key's from her hoodie pocket. Within seconds I had cleared the gate, and was on a busy highway direct to Osaka's International Airport.

Dropping off the bags was easier than making toast, and the second I slipped into a bathroom far from the luggage desk—part two of plan A, went into full motion.

"_Last call for Gate 21: flight to Las Vegas, California, America. Last call—"_

I shoved the yellow hoodie and unbearably tight jeans, into the girls' bathroom waste bin. Fluffing my red hair, shifting the busty anorexic top and skirt-challenged bottom half, I exited the washroom with an enticing smile. One heel swooped in front of the other, the thick shoes sounding little _cracks_ in the air around me. I smiled smugly as a group of uniformed high school boys turned to look for the noise, their lust infested eyes quickly following my shapely thighs and curvy hips. I could hear their whispers and groans, when I flipped my long hair over my shoulder. Feeling completely indestructible, the most desirable woman in the room, I danced seductively forward.

_Crack. Crack. Crack._

I handed my ticket to the tall male at Gate 21, whose eyes were nearly popping out of their sockets. Licking my lips in suggestive motions, I let my gentle voice purr, once he striped a piece of paper off my ticket slip, without even sparing the glossy rectangle a glance.

"Thank _you_."

The young woman beside him, her jaw still dropped at my behavior and outfit, glared at her partner and jabbed him with her elbow. Turning around, clutching my borrowed purse, and sliding my shades closer to my face, I giggled to myself.

Ducking slightly into the JAL Express airplane, I held up my ticket as a reference to the stewardess, who had a bushy eyebrow raised at me. She must have had a thing against the popular girls back in school. After she half-heartedly pointed towards my seat, I smiled sincerely in return.

Traveling past wide eyes, I made my way to row D, and settled in seat 13. Plopping the large purple bag in my lap, I reached up and turned off my personal reading light, before buckling myself in and leaning my seat back. Closing my eyes, letting my itching contacts sooth themselves against my eyelids, I listened intently to the noises occurring within the second-class plane. There was a child restlessly squirming a few rows back, second from the left wing— a man popping gum from its crinkly plastic container from the first seat in row J— the two pilots were murmuring to each other about a long fifteen-hour flight in the cock pit— there was a woman sucking on a lollipop in row C, seeming to be wishing it was a cigarette instead— and there was a little girl fighting with her sibling in the seating across from me. There was no suspicious actions, movements, smells, or sounds in the plane.

_But you never know_, my mind insisted, while I decided on letting my guard down and taking a quick wink. Internally sighing, I turned my head to the side slightly, so my face wouldn't be ripped off if someone walked down the aisle. Feigning sleep, I listened carefully as the remaining seats filled up. Luckily, only one person sat in my middle row. The grandmother sat at the end of my seating, close to the bathrooms. Even though I allowed myself to believe an old woman with arthritis surely wouldn't be on the hunt to kill me, my extra-sensitive gibbering mind would not accept it.

I gritted my teeth— _stupid fucking assassins; I'll never get to sleep!_

The jet engines began to power up, as the speakers on the plane began to chirp out information and world-wide-already-known safety instructions. Timid old-lady on the end of my row had fallen asleep faster than I could, and had begun to snore louder than the airplane's engines. I settled myself deeper into my chair, preparing for a _long _flight.

* * *

After trudging onto a second plane once we landed Las Vegas, by the time I finally descended to Miami, I felt like _crap_. Really needing to pee, I headed into a conveniently-near-by ladies room. Upon scrubbing my hands, I patted my tired face with a cold paper towel. Mustering up the will power to carry on, I grasped Choko's purse and got myself back into character. Smoothing my red hair out, I checked my sun glass tinted reflection in the bathroom mirror, and pivoted on my heels.

Mentally deciding to skip the cargo pick-up area, knowing I could pick up my special duffel bags another day (if I was constantly with my luggage, someone could become suspicious) and had a few thick American hundred-dollar bundles in the purple purse. I passed by the crowded areas and headed over to the large entrance doors. Feeling free, I allowed myself a large satisfied grin.

Which dropped to the floor.

The numerous speakers in the airport buzzed, sharply echoing words, that I almost couldn't hear the Japanese-tint behind them. "_Ms. Rin Takamira, please report to the front desk in _Section C_. Ms. Rin Takamira._" Before the transmission had even finished, I swept through the food-court area, and snagged a leather jacket hanging off the back of a metal chair. Heart pounding furiously, I curved myself behind a large Miami International Airport cardboard display. Throwing my wig to the checkered floor, I shucked off my heels, and quickly unzipped my skirt and flipped it inside-out. Angrily slipping on white foam sandals, I ripped off my jewelry, and used the golden necklace as a loose hair band. Sliding into the borrowed jacket, I checked the aspects of my new costume. Just before I left my shield, I realized I couldn't bring Choko's large bag with me. Fishing out bundles of money, credit-cards, stuffing them into my B-cup bra, I quickly slipped a blow-dart pack on the back of my bra, and a sheathed tanto blade on the elastic band of my underwear.

Swishing out from behind my covered area, I went against the grain of travelers, and desperately searched for a side door, an exit, anything helpful. My heart thudded in heavy rhythms against my ribs, causing me to remind myself to breathe with my movements. I had no idea who had discovered me, my own team or the assassins, so I had to play this safe.

There was a small janitorial hallway behind a palm-tree plant to my immediate left— I was so fast, not even the security cameras caught me. Running down the lengthy hallway at full speed, my sandals slapping against the smooth floor, I ran towards the orange exit door. The florescent lights buzzed dimly as I slammed my shoulder into the door, pushing open the hollow metal door.

The back of the door hit the wall noisily, as is swung open. Racing forward, I noticed I was in an emergency staircase. Taking at least five steps at a time, I headed for the roof top. There had to be an outside fire-escape route there— there were too many eyes and open areas in the building to get past.

Gasping slightly, straining my legs as far as they would go, I sprinted up the cement steps. I had only a few more landings to go, when I heard it.

A demon unconcealment charm.

Grasping the railing, shooting my head out in the open drop, I searched for the newcomer. It wasn't hard to miss him. He stood three floors above me. Damn that man to hell, for looking good in that snug black suit! The family-heirloom silver hair was tied tightly at the nape of his neck. Those golden eyes I had come to hate, were hidden by dark shades that highlighted his high cheeks. Those beautifully cruel lips were curved angrily, the points of his fangs peaking through. His loud growl echoed.

"Rin."

My jaw dropped. Without wondering how he even got here, I gripped the railing angrily, and lifted my feet to the paint-chipping metal frame. My contacted eyes met his, and I gave a inu-youkai snarl, one that Inuyasha once taught me, would subtly warn a few youkai— that I was _not_ to be messed with.

I flashed him my middle finger.

I almost missed his shock expression, either from my voiced anger or obvious contradiction, as I stepped forward. The warm air whipped past me, scratching my face, arms, and legs, as I free-fell down the open gap. Thousands of stairs flew past my vision, which collided with my billowing hair. My jean shirt puffed slightly, as the cement bottom came to meet my body. Bracing my muscles, I hit the floor, my eyes reeling slightly. My legs twitched at the sudden impact, but I didn't have time to calm the shakes. Taking the first door I saw, I turned the handle and pushed forward. Once on the other side, I whipped around and pulled the door shut noisily. Turning to face the new room, my eyes met green. I was hidden behind an earthy fountain display.

Slipping away from the green landmark, I faced a long panel of glass doors. The entrance. People walked through the horizontal sliding gateway, hands tangled in different shaped suitcases and bundles. My feet went into motion, and I jogged out those crystal-shinning doors. Hot, muggy air clamped down onto my skin, and I almost giddily welcomed the different weather. Cars and trucks raced past on the busy highway in front of me, their wheels and horns screeching in the hot day.

"You've been a _bad _girl."

Inuyasha, dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, stood on my immediate left.

"Rin, I can't believe you!"

And his partner in crime, bulging eight-month tummy and all, stood on my right.

"Yes, she has."

A warm chest pressed against my back, the second I tried to retreat backwards. My head snapped back, and my contacted eyes dilated at the man staring down at me. Though youkai had charms and spells to cast over their original appearances, I still saw the silver highlights in his dark hair, and the golden flecks in his brown eyes.

A loud and embarrassing breath escaped my lips. It sounded like I was panting in want.

How disgusting.

"Inuyasha." Sesshomaru called, spinning my body around to face his. "Take your mate to my personal jet; we'll be there in a few minutes. Rin needs a little talk." My eyes widened in horror, and they pleaded with Inuyasha to save me, as he walked past us. Obviously, his expression firm, he believed I needed some discipline. Traitor.

"You sure, Sesshomaru? She's quite the handful." Kagome spoke, her eyes narrowed at me, as Inuyasha wrapped his arm around her.

Wait.. since when was this trio on good terms?

"She won't be able to get very far." My self-proclaimed parole office mused.

As the pair left my sight, back into the airport, I pushed myself away from Sesshomaru. However, his hand shot out and grasped my wrist, tugging me forcibly against his firm chest.

My anger was fueled when my heart accelerated—my own body was betraying me!

"You can run, but I can run faster."

Brown eyes glowed fiercely in the bright light. "You can hide, but I'll find you." His hand cupped my cheek firmly. "You can ignore my presence, but I won't tolerate it." The scent of black coffee and star anise dominated my senses, as he lowered his face closer to mine. "You can fall down the center of thirty flights of stairs—but _I'll_ be the one having the heart-attack."

My voice was strangled with shock, "_W-what_?"

The bright rays of the sun, glinted harshly off the building, and I squinted against the severe radiance. If I hadn't been so blinded by Miami's sunlight, I would've never gotten the image of Sesshomaru's expression out of my head.

I couldn't decide if he was infuriated.. or distraught.

"Do you understand the maddening emotions you made me feel, in the course of twenty-four hours? I arrive back at my father's mansion only after a few hours of leaving you, to find a strange woman in your clothes, with no idea of what happened or where you went." He was breathing heavily, as if he actually _ran_ from Osaka to Miami.. His hands gripped my shoulders tightly, grounding me into this odd reality. "There were two assassins on the second airplane you took, but because they didn't expect to find you only a fingertip away, they weren't giving off any hostile auras or actions. You traveled alone on that plane with them, for over five hours, and they weren't sure if the situation was a set up or a joke— so they didn't harm you."

My eyes widened significantly.

"If I didn't call in reinforcements, the woman who called you over the speaker, would've slit your throat at the information desk—Two men at the top of the roof, would've put holes in your body—And the woman walking through the front doors, would've put her youkai hand right through your chest."

I could feel my jaw drop.

"You can say that you survived all this, because of some bull-shit luck, but what an obvious lie that would be. Bitch and moan, fight me off, and think you can run away. Rin Takamira, sooner or later, you will accept me as your equal- you're partner."

My mouth opened to dispute, yet his strong hand pinched my lips shut.

"You can try to not care for me. But, you can't stop _my _feelings."

My lungs exhaled in shock.

I froze, my mind in a whirl-wind of _fucked up_ emotions.

He's supposed to hate me. Want to rip my internals out, for being a weak human woman. Throw me out into the street, for being a living Achilles heel. And here he was.. _confessing_? Why couldn't this guy want anyone but me? He said I smelled bad, for crying out loud! What kind of retarded affection was this?

Sesshomaru's golden orbs held mine, as the corners of my eyes prickled angrily. This would be so much easier to ignore, this whole fucking _mess_, if he wasn't born to look like a god.

Or have the power of one—

"I cannot lose you."

* * *

a/n: Don't worry- Sess is just being _different_ at this moment (he'll continue to be a stubborn weed), he's not giving into her, nor is she giving into him.. yet.

Finally everything's in motion. _Thank you_ everyone, who's been reviewing— I **EXTREMELY** appreciate it— so much so, that I'm obviously kicking out chapters _faster_ than ever. _**Kee**__**p **__**on **_reviewing, and the quicker you will get 7,000 worded chapters-- and like I said before, I won't hesitate to drop this story if it feels like no one actually likes it; what would be the point of continuing on? :(

ja ne


	4. Y

_Eat You Up

* * *

_

Summary:

**She's fierce, a respected Yakuza member. And yet forced to stay behind, playing nurse for an arrogant inuyoukai? With someone trying to kill her and being suddenly 'imprinted'- Rin doesn't what's worse: forced to love Sesshomaru, or being assassinated.

* * *

**

_Quick__ vocal:_

_* Genmaicha [__Is comprised of sencha green tea blended with roasted brown rice. The dry tea leaves are dark green and slender accompanied with brown rice kernels and puff rice. Tea steeped from these tea leaves has a light yellow hue. The taste is pleasant with a hint of roasted rice and a mild aftertaste. The aroma is a light scent of freshness and roasted rice.]_

_* Hasu [Japanese lotus flower.]_

_* Kanzashi [Ornaments__ used in traditional Japanese hairstyles__. __Some believe they may also have been used for defense in an emergency__. They are either a small grouping of metal strips that look and sound like wind chimes, decorated sticks/rods, a fan, comb, pins, or colorful clips of different materials.]_

_* Nori [Dried seaweed— mainly pressed and flattened into squares for garnish in soups, or sheets for sushi rolls.]_

_* Okayu [Japanese rice porridge that people eat when they are ill, because the texture is easy to digest.]_

_* __Shoka Shofutai__ [A classical Shoka flower arrangement, __has three branches arising from the mouth of the container as a single unit. The branches are held together with the help of a special holder.]

* * *

_

I sighed dramatically again.

This was stupid. No, not stupid, fucking _ridiculous_! I _still_ wasn't allowed outside the house! Inuyasha and Kagome were permanently home, but touchy about my Miami escape; and instead of hiding from Sesshomaru, I was trying to find the asshole.

I couldn't tell if Sesshomaru had been lying, or telling the truth at the airport..

The bastard had chucked me into his private jet, after practically dragging me through the airport, and promptly returned back into his cold behavior. Whenever I questioned him about his Soap Opera confession back in Miami, he'd either just walk past me, give me an _'are-you-fucking-retarded?'_ look, or say something along the lines of: _"You're a child when it comes to getting your way—so like any embarrassed adult, I lied to you: so you would shut your mouth." _

He also pretended I simply was _not_ trying to kick down his bedroom door.

No matter what he did, it was just too obvious he was avoiding the conversation topic entirely.. which led me to believe, there was _something_ going on—_Something_ that had Kagome and Inuyasha actually conversing with the ice prince, not ignoring his presence. S_omething_ that Sesshomaru wasn't going to tell me any time soon.

.. Unless I forced it out of him.

A Cheshire-cat grin seeped onto my lips.

Only I made Sesshomaru uneasy, with my reckless actions. My busy hands were not sliding parts together of a machine gun, or covered in ink from blue prints, but sticky from making _okayu_. Kagome stood on the sidelines, watching me with curious narrow eyes. Her hands rubbed her sore stomach slightly, in little round circles.

I remember how my own mother made me rice porridge when I was ill, she even used food-dye to make little rainbows in it for me.

I hoped Sesshomaru liked the color of vomit.

Grey eyes carefully cataloged my every move, as I hummed and stirred the spoon in the metal bowl. Kagome knew me better than this—I wouldn't add poison _until_ I was away from prying eyes. "Why are you doing this?" She hinted at my frightening cheery attitude.

"'Cause." I chirped.

She peered over my shoulder, "Puke green, really?"

"What, isn't the color comforting? Isn't it dogs that eat grass when they're sick?"

".. that's cats, Rin."

I shrugged and lifted onto my toes, so I could reach a ceramic bowl in the open cupboard. "Where's Inuyasha, anyway?" I asked, plopping the green-glazed bowl down. Kagome raised her perfect eyebrow at me, "Why?"

"I need some fellow advice."

Her eyes thinned even further, gears turning in her head. "What are you planning, Rin?" I looked over my shoulder briefly, and fluttered my eyelashes innocently. "What ever do you mean, Kagome-chan?" I stretched my smile. Kagome's eyes flickered away from my forced cheeriness, and onto the concoction I had just created. She nodded her head towards my homemade meal, "I doubt he'll eat it, Rin, you're ulterior motive is too.. colorful."

My lips pouted mockingly. "But, I put _love _and _care_ into it."

"'Love' and 'care' is not out-of-date nori and old tuna."

"It's love and care!" I stressed. It wasn't like the guy could tell the extra bits were old—Kag's had said herself, because of Sesshomaru's odd injury, he couldn't smell normally at the moment. Kagome rolled her eyes as I backed out of the kitchen, my shoulders pushing the swinging door open. I could hear her low mutters of_ 'death wishes'. _Hardly containing my quaking laughter as I climbed the stairs, my smile split from side to side instead. Kagome didn't notice that I slipped in a truth drug into Sesshomaru's okayu, Cisatracurium. The formula worked on humans as well as demons, so it had to work for this scheming man whore.

Swinging onto the second level, the large green dish in my cupped hands, I hummed nonchalantly as his private door came into view.

As well did an off-green blob.

Ugh, why the hell was this toad around anyway? The guy did nothing useful, except for pestering Sesshomaru like a rabid fan girl. Ugly-baby had some serious issues. The amphibian had been resting against the Lord's door, snoozing away, until I stepped a bit heavier onto the hardwood. Squawking, and scurrying to his feet, those beady hazel eyes pointed daggers to me. "What do you want, you ungrateful woman?"

"Oh, what happened to Rin-sama?" I gasped in mockery.

The green baby shook his finger at me, "You deserve no such title, after worrying my Lord and sending him into a frenzy! He had to save you pathetic hide from assassins! Leave!" My eyebrow perked up, _I actually sent him into a frenzy? Hmm.. maybe the toad could be useful. _"What do you mean by hysteria?" I probed. "The man hates my guts, and spews lies everywhere; so how did I make Sesshomaru insecure?"

Jaken squawked again, "Are you blind woman—!"

"Yes." I added dryly.

"Do you not know of how strong—?"

"Jaken, _enough_."

We both turned to stare at the closed door—Sesshomaru's voice had cut through our argument. The hairs on the back of my neck stood straight, and I wondered why I was feeling suddenly.. anxious?

"Let Takamira in, Jaken."

No.. it was _fear._

The last time I had felt fear—_ mother's tattered arm dangled off the television, my little brother's bloody torso was propped up—_

"Let her in, _now_, Jaken."

I tried to ignore my mouth's instructions to twist into horror, and the intense feeling of wanting to curl up into my bed and hold my arms around myself. I didn't notice Jaken's stare, gaping at my sudden tight frame, and terrified eyes.

"_Jaken_."

A small gasp escaped my lips, upon hearing Sesshomaru's icy demand.

"_He felt you emotions haywire, so as long as you keep them in check, he will not check on you—"_

Swallowing my fear, I stepped past Jaken and opened the large door. The room was painted a royal blue, furnished with dark-stained timber, bamboo chairs and tables. Art pieces were mainly of framed old parchment scrolls, defining authority and history when you walked in. It fit the bastard's personality well. Sesshomaru was resting on his made-up bed, a small table curving over his thighs, laptop humming gently. It was hard to pretend, his golden eyes weren't piercing my face—The glaring molten pools of _'why-are-you-bothering-me?'_ were irksome to ignore.

"I made you rice porridge, since you're still.. sick."

"My wound is healing normally." He replied, turning back to his computer. "Plus, _youkai_ don't get the flu."

I pressed my lips together sharply, to hold my tongue. _Have to complete the plan, not let the asshole get the better of me._ "I'd feel better if you at least had a bite or two." I lied through my teeth. Those eyes flick back to my face, and then to the large clay bowl in my hands.

"Set it on the bedside table." He ordered coldly.

Making the short distance to the small counter, I gently slid the glazed dish onto the stand. Without any words, the youkai snapped his laptop shut, and turned to take the okayu. His maroon striped eyelids narrowed slightly, upon bringing the bowl close to his face.

I almost lost my balance when he tipped the bowl back, and ate half of my concoction. The motion was so refined, graceful.. elegant. Bastard must have eaten everyday in five-star restaurants, the ones with thousands of different forks for ridiculous foods. My dish seemed quite childish now.. maybe I should've asked Kagome to cook something more rich?—I bit my lip angrily, here. _Oh shut up, as if he deserves good food, stupid bastard._ His clawed fingertips set the dish back on the table, and promptly returned to his computer. Mere seconds, and the drug would take affect. Youkai digested their food quite quickly.

There was a faint dimming glow in his eyes, and I took my chance. "What are you working on?" I asked timidly, still holding my posture. Sesshomaru didn't turn from the screen. "Modifications."

"Of?" I pressed.

"Of others modifications."

I sharply bit my tongue. His tapping fingers froze.

"Who do you work for?" I questioned.

A smirk barely curved the corner of his mouth. "Myself." The keyboard orchestra continued.

"And what do you do?"

"I deal with raw metals."

My eyebrow perked, "Really?"

"Yes, now leave." Sesshomaru shifted his face from the computer, but his busy eyes never left it. "I'm trying to finish these blue prints, and I work exceptionally when my attention isn't diverted."

He should be drowsy.. not alert and throwing comments at me.

"I'm distracting?"

"Extraordinarily more so, when you're not trying to unprofessionally drug me."

I gaped. How the hell? _Shit!_

"Just tell me what you meant in Miami, and I'll leave you alone!"

"Relinquish."

"Tell me what's really going on! And has the Gizena even located Asami yet?" I continued to argue, my fists clenching angrily.

"You're human companion is unrescued, but fine—as for Miami, there was no phenomenon. You are either hallucinating, or believing unimportant actions have duel meanings. Such people with these disorders often should admit their mental default." He mused. "Accepting the problem is the first step to recovery."

My interpretation: He was asking to be shot.

"_What-is-going-on_?" I hissed, ignoring the temptation to backhand the jerk.

"This Sesshomaru doesn't have to explain himself, again, to you."

"Third person, now? You egotistical bastard.." Stupid, inu daiyoukai!

"Anemic human."

I screamed in frustration, departing from him I stomped away, and made sure I cracked the doorframe when the door slammed shut. Fuming, I decided to put as much distance between us, and leave the _holy lord_ to his silence. With each heavy step on the long twirling staircase, I imagined squishing his face when my foot slammed to the next wooden plank. A furious bubbling growl stayed low in my throat.

Self-righteous asshole.

I preferred to suffer in silence— so I screamed inside my head.

"Whoa, what's with that look?"

Where the hell, had this moron been? Inuyasha's furry ears folded back as I ran noisily down the stairs to meet him. I grabbed his shoulders and shook them firmly. His gold eyes widened. "Inuyasha!" I exasperatedly yelled, looking at him like a demon encyclopedia. "I gave Cisatracurium to Sesshomaru, but it isn't working!"

The hanyou's face blanked for a second, before he doubled over in heaving gasps of laughter. I stood still, watching the idiot.

"You act-actually tried that on him?"

"I have my reasons." I snapped.

"You don't know much about Sesshomaru, do you?" He grinned. "You know how my main power is strength? Well, Sesshomaru received a gift of green acidic compounds from his mother."

"_What!_" My teeth gritted nastily. "Are you _kidding _me?"

Inuyasha continued to chuckle. "Nope— so his system breaks down harmful chemicals. Drugs or poison darts never affect him, and he can kill off idiots retarded enough to medicate him, with a swipe of his acid on his claws. Very handy."

"Thanks for telling me that now." I hissed, stomping back up the stairs.

He called from his spot on the stairs, laughter intertwined in his cheery words. "Not that he would try to kill you! He ate _your _cooking, look at his devotion!"

My bare feet thundered up the stairs. "Yeah, he just uses ridiculous word-play, to annoy me to death." I spat. "Very diplomatic."

* * *

I sat defeated and pissed off on my bed.

Rearranging my crossed legs, my hands grasped the duvet in frustration. This was the first time, since I joined the yakuza, that a demon was unaffected by my methods. I had to plan other ways of attack—and not the normal means either, since Sesshomaru bluntly showed no change.

Few things about this situation were known: first, the target was slightly distracted by my emotions and 'unprofessional' strategies of gaining information. Second, drugs did nothing to the target, only annoyed said target—sometimes verbally back lashed on people.

And third.. that's all I knew.

I groaned loudly and rocked forward, until my face pressed into the bedding. Letting out a muffled sigh, I fell onto my side. My cinnamon eyes gradually traveled across my room, noticing the new pile of laundry Kagome washed, and the fresh Shoka Shofutai flower arrangement of ivory hasu on my bureau.

My eyelashes drifted closed a few times, my eyes natural blinking slowing with sudden fatigue. A small yawn escaped my mouth, and I snuggled into my blanket. There were a few hours until dinner, so I could afford the quick nap. I was stressed out enough as it was; some extra sleep would do me good. Refresh my brain, so I could use it later. My lungs tuned to a soft rhythm, the motions calming my tense muscles, and further sinking me into my goose-down duvet.

Must have been only minutes after I closed my eyes— I was sure it was a loose feather from my pillows— but I felt a gentle touch sweep across my face, like an escaped music sheet caught in a soft breeze. The touch lingered my sleeping eyelids briefly.

A sleepy smile curved my lips as I sunk deeper into happy dreams.

* * *

I literally jumped out of my deep sleep.

My sleep-crusted eyes squinted at the space in front of me, as I tried to define why I had been dreaming of Kagome with greased-up abs and a mustache-bearing Inuyasha. Could youkai even grown facial hair.. ?

Cinnamon eyes snapped wide open.

My room was pitch-black, and the faint green glow of my alarm clock, was my only source of light. Scrambling across my bed, pushing scattered pillows and dunes of my blanket away, I laid my eyes on the current Japanese time.

Almost three in the morning—_shit!_

My hungry stomach gurgled ferociously in response. Swallowing my favorite colorful words trying to force through my teeth, I scrambled off my bed and darted for my bedroom door. Almost ripping the offending wood off its hinges, I tried to be more respectful to the sleeping inhabitants in the house. Quietly rushing down the sweeping staircase—close to slipping a few times— I reached the bottom step. My hands grabbed the bottom filigree post and I propelled myself to the kitchen.

I honestly didn't need a light to see, so I enveloped myself in the darkness of the house, as I pushed through the swinging kitchen door. A small bowl of noodles sat on the marble counter like a gem. Kagome may be angry with me—but she'd _never_ not cooked a meal, especially since I was tiny enough as it was. If the woman hadn't ever seen me eat double what Inuyasha shoveled down, she'd probably assume I was anorexic.

Feet led themselves to the bowl of food, just as the microwave light went on, from across the room.

My response was a high-pitched scream.

The other occupant in the room made no noise at first, as the bright light of the microwave haloed around her dark head. A small folded package was placed onto the glass plate, and the tiny door shut with a _'click.' _Kagome's tired voice rang out."Wow, you are awfully unaware of things, when you're just emerging from sleep. You gotta watch that, could get killed."

I held my hand over my thundering heart, "Most gang members don't get killed, by a pregnant woman making—what are you making?"

"Popcorn." She replied, pressing a flat button on the rectangle machine.

"Right— making popcorn at what, three in the morning?"

Kagome's strong shoulders stiffened. "Yeah, but most smart gang members don't go to Miami, after escaping a safe house and try to get themselves assassinated."

I covered my face with my hands, and leaned into them. A frustrated sigh rattled through my system. "For the millionth time, Kag's, I wasn't being suicidal!"

Ebony hair billowed in the dim kitchen light, as Kagome swirled away from the microwave. She finally faced me—eyes full of grey tears. Her lips trembled, expression of a heart-broken woman. "You could've been killed!" She sobbed. "How could I live with myself, then?"

An instinctive feeling tingled in my arms, and I moved from my position to hug her gently. My small arms wrapped around her shaking shoulders. A little foot from the baby, prodded into my own stomach. "I didn't and won't, you know me better than that." I whispered soothingly.

"Rin, stop being reckless.." Her sad words were muffled from my collarbone. I simply replied, by smoothing my hand up and down her sore back, listening as her frustrated babbles died softly. Our sudden peace was broken when the microwave screeched loudly— demented machine must have been off the discount rack.

Another blow from the baby had me bracing away from Kagome, eyes wide while rubbing the tender spot on my hip.

"Geez, what do you feed that thing?" I laughed. A watery smile came from Kagome, as she turned back around to get her jet-puffed popcorn bag. Crisp crackles filled the light-less room, as Kagome mowed down her snack. I fished a sterling fork from the cutlery drawer, "Want to watch a movie?" I suggested, plunking my cold meal into the microwave. Shutting the small door shut, the buzzing and bright light restarted. I stared at my revolving meal briefly. The silver fork jutted out from my mouth.

"Sure." Kagome spoke between bites.

"What genre?"

"Comedy-Romance."

I made a vicious gagging noise.

I loved Kagome, but no. Romance was not on my personal movie list at the moment— I didn't want to have nightmares of a particular youkai male, doing romantic swoons over my dream-possessed body. A good comedy or action movie would do me good. Even some random gore, would be better than a future horror dream of Sesshomaru, trying to _woo_ me. I snorted; Sesshomaru would probably make me do the wooing, even in my own nightmares.

Stuck-up bastard.

"Oh suck it up, I need some random hunk to make me melt—not make me cringe while he sleeps next to me, drooling mouth wide open, while his snores shake my earplugs loose." Kagome tittered.

"Ahh.." I smiled slightly. "Another reason why I don't want to marry _anyone, _I need my beauty sleep."

"Yeah, you need it _real _bad."

I laughed, "Love you too, Kags."

"Do you want to just surf the pay-per-view channels?" She asked, grabbing a few kernels of popcorn. "I heard that we got a few new ones on the satellite."

"Any good ones catch your interest?" I asked, plucking my warm meal from the microwave. We walked slowly out of the kitchen, side by side, as we entered a small Den on the immediate right. "_'Wolverine'_, _'Angels & Demons'_, and _'Define.'_" Kagome replied, sinking onto a black leather love seat.

"Define? Odd name."

Kagome shrugged her shoulders, "Shippou said it was good, even has Kagura Otsu in it." Seizing a wool blanket from a pale armchair, I settled onto another large sofa close to Kagome's. "Who's that?" I asked.

"You don't know who Kagura Otsu is? She's a wind demon."

"A what?" I laughed, "Since when it there elemental demons?"

Her bottom lip drooped down in thought, her eyes tilted up. "Yeah, she's an odd one. She also has this heart defect, so you see her clutching her chest from time to time. Poor girl."

Picking up the sole remote on the small glass coffee table, I turned the large flat screen on, and was instantly flicking through thousands of channels. I turned my head to the side, eyes focused on the glowing screen, "Isn't she a demon though, why does she have a disability?"

"It's like asking why Inuyasha has dog ears. Some demons just have physical differences. And unlike humans, you can't permanently fix it—youkai and hanyou's regenerate body parts or lost skin cells over time."

"Huh.. odd." I commented, clicking the 'OK' button for the movie _'Define'_.

I briefly scanned the information screen, as the movie began to flicker with life. Seemed it was about a normal suburb woman, with a rich husband who worked late one night. Husband is kidnapped, and the wife goes to great lengths to find him. She goes through heavily-secured Government files, secluded parties, and crazy gun fights.

Action, _alright_.

Ten minutes in, and Kagome pointed out this famous actress. The woman, Kagura, was surprisingly beautiful. She had delicate glowing skin and aligned facial features that would put any Geisha to shame. She was armed with lean legs, slightly tipped ears (ones that wouldn't really give away her _heritage_)_,_ and a seductively innocent voice.

She'd be a killer assassin.

Though gutted with the realization of how stunning this youkai was, I gained a nicer form of appreciation for the woman, when she preformed a few hard stunts without a stand-in. It wasn't bad for an Action-Romance. I lost myself in the surprisingly good movie, but my tired eyes didn't make it to the end.

I faintly remember seeing Kagura's dark eyes and swaying ebony hair, as she walked out onto the dance floor. I only recalled the scene, because of that sadistic smile on her porcelain face.

* * *

That whimsical feather had returned to my face.

I batted away at the odd ticklish feeling on my skin. The sensation returned and I groaned, before covering my face with my tired arms. There was a brief chuckle in the morning air. Grumbling, I turned onto my other side, to snuggle my face into the body-heated leather couch back.

Soft whispers filled the room, and I scrunched my eyes together. I could tell they were being discrete for the remaining sleeping people, but couldn't they move the conversation somewhere else? I was not ready to be awake yet, even though I could feel my last minutes of sleep were dying off.

Amazingly, I received another eleven minutes of heavenly slumber. I was trying for twelve, when a familiar rich scent, caught my nose. My eyes managed to crack open slightly, to see if my three-hundred-and forty-seven scent receptors were right.

A steaming cup of black coffee, sat brilliantly on the glass table. My eyes were glued to the hot beverage.. Lifting my tired body from the couch, my hair in loose strands trailing behind me, I sat indifferently. My knees curved inwards to touch the other, and I clasped my deadbeat hands in an odd knot. My thin shoulders slumped with fatigue. I blinked, wondering if the cup was a mirage.

Who knew, I liked black coffee?

Usually when someone made a pot in the morning, people just assumed I like a cream and two sugars—like everyone else in the world. I never would refuse a cup of the delicious stuff, so I never said anything.. Scrutinizing the suddenly offending drink, I shied my head to the side slightly—until the growing light caught its dark surface. My cold hands clasped around the strong coffee, and I inhaled the life-giving liquid.

I was too busy with my intoxicating drink, that I completely dismissed the odd scent of star anise on it's porcelain handle..

* * *

_One week later._

"It's raining."

Cinnamon eyes stared out into the wet lawn. The marble statues appeared to be crying, little pin-prick ripples echoed in the koi pond, and there was a soft patter on the roof as the rivers flowed down the windows. I loved the rain.. but the cold it brought on.. I hated being cold. My nibble fingers rubbed my cold toes, massaging them to give a little warmth. It was the beginning of summer, why was it _raining_?

"Go put some socks on, Rin. Instead of whining like a child."

I turned in my seat, away from my perched spot directed out into the yard, and gave an annoying whine. Kagome gave me a dull look, before mumbling something about hoping her child never adopted my attitude. A grin spread across my lips, "Hey, you wanna do something fun?" I asked excitedly.

Kagome flipped another page in her Parent-Hood magazine.

"Depends."

"Wanna play a board game?" I randomized.

"No." Another page turned. "You always cheat."

I pouted, "Hide and go Seek?"

"You use Ginzea tracker equipment. So go easy on my kid when he's born."

My eyebrow perked up, "Inuyasha could finally smell the sex?"

A small smile cracked the corner of her lips, "Yes." Her grey eyes looked away from the page. "He figured it out this morning—he's been all fatherly since."

I jumped down from the ceiling bow I was resting on. Noiselessly touching the ground, I joined Kagome at the small café table. "What do you mean?" I continued, pulling out a timber chair and taking a seat. Kagome laughed slightly, "He's been trying to force Sesshomaru to make him a sword for the baby."

My eyes widened significantly, "A _sword_? What the hell!"

She gave me an odd look. "It's normal in the Takahasi family.. The father uses one of his fangs, to help give power to a demon sword. You know about that, you've seen Inuyasha's sword."

"Yeah, of course I have! I just didn't know soon-to-be fathers went out ripping teeth to make a weapon for their _infant_!" I gaped. "Seriously, what kind of family is this? You people are crazy!" I flung my arms up into the air, as emphasis. "And why is Sesshomaru making the damn sword?" I questioned softly, upon seeing Kagome's bewildered expression.

She eyed me, "You don't know about Sesshomaru's company?"

"The bastard mentioned something about managing blue prints, or modifications the last week." I ranted. "But then again, maybe he was modifying the pole stuck up his ass."

Kagome rolled her eyes, before setting down her magazine. That caught my attention. This woman protected her magazines as if they were bibles. "Rin.." She began. "You've been a member in this Ginzea and family for over what.. five years? And you don't know where our demon weapons and defensive suits come from? Apart from our older weapons, all metal materials and weapons are made by Sesshomaru's company. He specializes mainly in demonic industrial swords, so he's targeted by many people for his wealth and skilled weaponry."

"So that's why he was injured when I first met him?" I pieced together, my mouth starting to drop in astonishment.

"He was in Tokyo for a business deal, when some low-life youkai attacked him. Our people had spotted him earlier in the day, and were curious why he was back in Japan. So they trailed him for a bit, and had been outside a building, when they smelt spilled blood. By the time we managed to drag him back here, he was so angry with those idiots for managing to get to him, that his body was shivering with pre-transformation shakes."

My eyes were glued to Kagome, as she explained further. "It was getting out of hand, we even had to call back up—and then he kept saying something in a demonic tone, something about mint and genmaicha." She laughed and rubbed the bridge between her eyes. "By the time we realized what he smelled, I had already dialed your cell."

"He smelt me?" I gaped. "He knew who I was just by my scent?"

Kagome smiled briefly, "Yes, even by anothers scent, an imprinted youkai can figure out that it belongs to someone important to them—but not well enough, to know it's their future mate." She continued her story. "Because of Sesshomaru's state, I tried to warn you to stay away, but you came back anyway. At the time, I had no idea that Sesshomaru.. was to imprint on you. We just thought he caught a new human's scent in the house, since he hasn't been home for a long time."

My eyes widened—my leather jacket. I had left my jacket and helmet on the love seat in the entrance, and they had been in the foyer.. no wonder he smelt me. My scent must have been so close; it was probably like a chloroform-soaked cloth to him. "His youkai side was taking over, and he kept getting looser in our grasp—his demonic side wanted to find his mate. But.. if you hadn't shown up and helped us stop his transformation.. It would be hard to explain to the Global Mail, why there was a sixty-foot-tall demonic dog trashing Osaka."

My head was buzzing like crazy.

I stared at Kagome for a second, before bolting out of my seat. My chair rattled on its feet, trying to balance itself from my sudden movement. "I.." I started. "I'm gonna go get a glass of water, I'll be back." Bolting from the sun room, not bothering to see what Kagome's expression was, I raced down the corridor. Rushing into the kitchen, I promptly headed for the sink, and grabbed an empty glass from an open-styled cupboard. Turning the water tap to the blue etched mark, I immediately set my cup under the cold water.

I drained my glass in record speed, before refilling the cup, and turning off the water.

Sighing loudly, I exited the kitchen and went back into the hall.

My back stiffened slightly, when my peripheral vision caught a familiar tall man that was not Inuyasha. He stood under the frame of a room's doorway, statuesque, a folded newspaper under his arm. Pressing my lips together, I kept my vision on the ground, and passed him. My long hair swayed with my body's movements, as I passed by Sesshomaru in the corridor. The racing blood in my veins, cooled a bit the further I got away from him.

I hadn't gone ten steps, when his body collapsed onto the floor.

As my lungs exhaled noisily in shock-- a bitter, metallic scent filled my nose. My vision swirled, and my stomach lurched. Shaking my dizzy head, I leaned my shoulder into the wall.

Blood.

Snapping my head around, I assessed the scene with wide eyes. The crystal glass in my hand, shattered against the bamboo floors. Sesshomaru laid on his back, his newspaper and clothing, drenched in pooling blood. A warning growl was coming from him, but even then, I still stood flabbergasted while blood came from his old wound.

There was a patter of small feet. My head whipped around, my astounded eyes met Kagome's horrified ones. "Rin!" Kagome gasped, "What have you done?"

"I didn't even touch him!" I swore. "He was just standing at the door, before he just _fell!_" Kagome passed me, and rushed to Sesshomaru's other side, hands fluttering over his wound. Pressing her lips together repeatedly, as if unsure what to do, she let her hands splay apart— hovering above the bleeding mess. Her fingers stopped shaking, and a faint purple glow misted around her palms. She hissed, and let her miko healing powers strengthen. Her physical powers always reminded me of tiny sugar crystals, swirling around her tense hands.

She clenched her teeth together. "His wound is barely healing. _Shit_, why isn't this dark gunk dissolving from his wounds?"

I lifted my eyes to her, "Black, what?"

"It's like.. oil." She sighed, "It won't wash away with my powers, nor will Sesshomaru's body reject it. He is in excruciating pain— I'm surprised he's been walking around still."

_InuTashio sighed, "He felt your emotions haywire—"_

I shut my eyes. "Wou-wouldn't I be able to feel his pain, then?" I asked, feeling awkward. _A glass snapped into pieces behind me. Sharp needles pricked me suddenly in my right palm, and I instantly whipped my head around in astonishment. Dark blood dripped to the floor noisily. Still remained in his regal posture on the seat adjoined with mine, Sesshomaru stared blankly at me with an oozing injured hand. The broken pieces of glass sparkled like diamonds, as they stuck out from his palm at nasty angles._ "He can feel mine.. so why can't I feel.." My words died softly. Why did I even have the slightest care for not being able to feel his emotions, when the man was emotionally prying into mine? I should be thankful I didn't feel any of this crazy shit.

Kagome's eyes widened slightly. "You can't feel his, because the one who sees the other imprinted partner first, feels their emotions. Because Sesshomaru saw you, before you saw him, you won't be able to feel.. him.. until you've completed the marking ceremony.

"When imprinted couples first meet, the emotional nature from one is soft, barely detectable. As the pair stays together longer, the feelings become more real and blunt, and show upon the others skin—in the form of rashes or goose bumps, etcetera. But that takes years. That's the only well-known explanation, and since Sesshomaru hasn't seen you, or you yourself had not met him, before that day, we don't know why. We can only assume it's a new heightened aspect in imprintions—or you're just a _very_ strong match."

_Why did I feel the glass in his hand, back then?_ "Has he denied ever seeing me before then?" I questioned.

Kagome gave me an odd look, "InuTashio says he hasn't."

"But what if either of us did, back when we were too young to remember?"

A small glowed briefly on her lips. "If either of you had, you would defiantly know."

"What?" I stuttered, upon seeing her glowing face.

She smiled romantically, "It's hard to stay away from another."

My voice darkened, "It isn't hard for me." I assured.

It happened too fast—

Sesshomaru's closed eyes twitched as he grunted in pain.

Without warning, blood surged from his wound, multiple buckets of glossy red. My heart jumped into my throat. Kagome's eyes widened significantly, and kept pushing her powers to the limit—but the blood sprayed out even more. I could feel my heart's pulse in my ears, and feel it drumming in my toes..

Kagome's head whipped to the side, catching my wide eyes with her grey hues. "RIN!" Kagome yelled, holding her hands over the gushing wound. "Stop being hostile! That's why Sesshomaru can't heal fast! You're rejecting him!"

_What?_

My startled eyes met hers. The wheels started turning, _was this why he wasn't healing? Because I hated the bastard?_

I started to back up— One of Kagome's bloody hands latched onto my tremoring ankle. "You don't have to except him!" She spoke in a rush, but firmly. "You just need to be close to him, until his condition improves!"

"I was just next to him!" I spoke, eye still wide. "Wasn't that enough?"

Kagome bit her bottom lip heavily. "Rin, just do it for me! Please! He won't heal properly until you do this!"

I wasn't sure why my body moved—Once again, I had absolutely no control. My knees curved against the hard floor, as my body settled fairly close to Sesshomaru. My heart picked up.. I didn't like that. Kagome smiled briefly; did she see that my body was being manipulated? It was being controlled.. but I wasn't fighting it.

What was wrong with me.. ?

Kagome's boiling-water-hot hands grasped mine, and forced them to push onto his flooding laceration. My pressured hands immediately halted the river of crimson. Kagome spoke hurriedly, "You just have to placed uncovered skin against his wound—yes it's gross, but it's only for a while— and the injury will quickly heal itself. His soul just needs to know your close, since you've escaped him and been out of his reach for far too long. It will instantly be reassured and realize you're safe and near."

Shock rippled through my spine— he was forced to constantly be unhealed, because I refused to be close to him?

Imprinting was a fucking morbid, suicidal, joke.

"You've been hurting his soul." She whispered, partially to herself. "We've got to get him upstairs, lay him down.."

Kagome eyed my occupied hands, and her watermelon stomach.

"INUYASHA! _Help_!"

Grey eyes returned to mine. "You are to stay with him, until the wound is completely healed—" I opened my mouth to object, but her fierce expression stopped me. "—It will only be less than two hours. But if he heals faster, just call for me and I'll use my powers to finish the job up."

She quickly moved her hands to his sanguinary chest, hastily removing the bloodstained button shirt. I tried not to feel guilt, when I finally saw his gaping incision, between my dyed fingers and around my maroon palms. The previous gauze wrapped around his torso, was blackened with diseased blood. My clear eyes scoured over his almond-shaped tear, why had he received this wound anyway? He was_ InuTashio's_ son..

"He was drugged and attacked." Kagome answered, her eyes watching mine. "Not with a needle.. but some sort of youkai mist. It impaired his thinking, though he obviously fought against it, and was affected enough to be injured. InuTashio was in the basement, going over the Gizena's next mission, when he smelt something and bolted from the room. Others soon followed, appalled. When they came back, they were struggling to hold onto Sesshomaru, since he was trying to transform." She exhaled loudly, "He kept saying things in his youkai voice. Repeating _'She's here...'_"

Our heads turned when we heard Inuyasha's running feet directed to us. The hanyou rushed into the room. "_What the fuck happened_!" Inuyasha bellowed, standing in front of his half brother. "Rin what did you do _now_?"

"I didn't do anything!" I reasoned, face sickly flushed, as my stomach decided upon getting sick or letting my heart feel shame. Inuyasha eyed me, before turning to his mate. "I take it, you told her about the _'embrace healing'_?" He asked.

Kagome nodded and gently got to her feet, with a help of a hand from her husband. "Yes, but I told her, her hands should be good for now."

"I don't know about that, his injury is pretty bad." He debated. "Maybe she should press her stomach to his? Then again, shouldn't press our luck, I'm more surprised she's doing this while not throwing up at the sight of blood."

My stomach jerked queasily at his last words.

His amber eyes widened slightly, "Right, should probably get him somewhere cleaner. I take it, that's why you rang?"

"Yes, take him to his room?"

Inuyasha rolled up his sleeves, and went to where Kagome previously sat. "Yeah, the idiot doesn't like the stench of medical crap in our hospital room— can't blame the bastard, smells like shit."

My eyes widened further, I felt an odd pang of protection sting my system, as Inuyasha slid his strong arms under his brother.

"Okay, Rin." Inuyasha called. "We have to be in sync, or he'll start bleeding again." He instructed. He grunted, lifting his brother slightly, testing his weight. "Okay, on three, keep your body's stance identical to mine. Don't move your hands _even_ an inch from his wound—" His dark eyebrows pushed together. My eyes watched the vein in his neck, one pulse.. two pulse..

Hands remained glued in place; my legs shook slightly as we rose with Sesshomaru's body. We both walked forward, as Kagome led. Quickly rushing up the stairs, while gentle as able, we made it to his room. When Jaken saw his Lord, and my convicted expression, he tried to yell at me, but Kagome all but shoved the jerk out of the way.

I loved her raging hormones.

Standing in front of the king-sized bed, I was drawing a blank as to how we would place him on it. Inuyasha would either have to climb onto it, and lower him down, or I would have to let go of my pressing hands— "Rin, get on the bed." He ordered, jerking his head towards the mattress.

I wouldn't argue today. Slowly, as Inuyasha edged Sesshomaru towards the crisp sheets, I backed up, my feet agilely jumping onto the bed. My hands never moved, as I continued to back-peddle, while Inuyasha slowly lowered his brother onto the covers. Relieved sighs went through the deafening quiet room, as Sesshomaru completely rested upon his bed.

I'm not sure why.. but I never let my eyes wander from the injured youkai. Even if I wanted to.. my body wouldn't budge. Kagome and Inuyasha soon left, delicately shutting the mahogany door behind them. I had about two hours to go, I assumed, while getting a glimpse of the alarm clock on a side table.

The top of my back ached, in this odd position, as I hovered over Sesshomaru with folded legs. Shifting my shoulders, rotating them in small circles, I tried to dislodge the soft pain.

My finger slipped.

Blood gushed from between my palms.

His eyes clenched together painfully, and he growled lowly in his throat. Horror washed through me as I tried to press my hands to the bleeding wound—but it was getting worse. Cold shivers raced down into my queasy stomach with anxiety.

And then I knew what I had to do.

Quickly wiping my soiled hands on my blouse, in the same movement, I lifted off my shirt. Shucking the long-sleeved material to the floor, my florescent-green bra a neon light in the room, I quickly slid onto Sesshomaru's pain-crippled body. Dropping my flat stomach to his own muscular one, blood between the definitions of his muscles, the gushing wound halted instantly.

Giving a small whimper of fright, I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to not think of the blood now on my pale skin.

After a few moments of keeping my previous meal down, I peeked through my eyelashes to appraise the casualty. The creamy color of his skin glowed in the blue room. Allowing myself to be more relaxed, after noting Sesshomaru was passed out cold, my eyes opened fully. My hands felt like hot stove-top elements, as they burned against the warm flesh of this man. It felt wrong; excruciatingly wrong, to be this close to him. My gut twisted uneasily.

Sesshomaru's body heat started to scorch my cold fingers that were affected from the downpour outside. My eyes flicked up to the youkai's face briefly, and quickly returned to my small fingers. I could feel the flush of my cheeks, burning brightly in the afternoon light. Cursing my body's annoying reactions to this man, I turned my head to the side, to look at _anything _but him.

I wasn't sure how or when it happened.. But it didn't take long, before my eyes succumbed to sudden fatigue…

* * *

I was still in the same position, as I had been three hours earlier— and half naked too. His wound was long healed, I had taken a peek when I first woke up, and so what was my reason for not running as far away as possible from this embarrassing act?

.. here I was, partially naked and pressed up against an _un_attractive man.

And secretly loving it.

Goosebumps were slowly rising across my bare arms, trailing down my stomach, and lapping flames around my inner thighs. Tingles raced madly down my spine, urging my dormant muscles to press into his firm form. Trying to not shudder, I could hardly contain the dominate cravings. Warm shivers quaked their way across my skin, creating tiny gasps of heated resistance.

_Just because I've never been with a guy before, doesn't mean I should swoon of Sesshomaru's.. body._

I could feel the hot blood pulsing between my thighs, and the itching sensation on my suddenly licked lips. My eyes etched across the sharp curves of his regal face— the long beautiful nose, dark eyelashes covering golden eyes, red stripes spouting from his pointed ears..

"—_Oomph!_"

The air from my lungs whooshed out noisily, as I fell to the empty space on the bed beside him. I blinked heavily as I stared up blankly at the flat ceiling. And as my sudden actions began to seep into my brain, so did a horrified blush rise to my pale cheeks. If Sesshomaru hadn't moved in his sleep, knocking me off him, I would've kissed him.

_What is wrong with me?_

Getting an instinctive impulse to hide my mortified self, I tried to scramble away from the crime scene—until my right arm shot me right back to Sesshomaru. I stared with wide cinnamon eyes at my trapped arm under the youkai.

I whimpered.

My eyes flickered back to the daiyoukai, to see if my nightmare was viewed by a live audience. But a long neck and sturdy shoulders caught my attention instead. I was well aware my heart was hammering against my chest, as if trying to tell him something I didn't know.

Screaming at him more like it.

I scooted further away from his slumbering form, my stomach filling with cement-like dread. Sweat was beginning to piercing my hand, and I wondered if I was going to make it out alive. Giving a small tug to my arm, a bit of my flesh freed a bit more, but in return, the calm sleeping snores halted. Fear prickled the back of my skull, and fell like icy water down and into my skin.

Sesshomaru rolled back over—I took that movement and snagged my limb back, when his peaceful face turned to me. Golden eyes snapped open. _Lord have mercy on my soul. _My lips began to tremble, my system drowned in thick fear— an emotion that was usually not usually present in me— I barely felt it on missions, so why did it surface now! What the hell was wrong with me?

_You like him_, my mind hinted dryly. _You don't want him to be mad at you._

I spluttered loudly.

I fought the urge to rip my ridiculous head off. My teeth gritted together angrily,_ I'd rather die than like him! And if I go down, so does he—win, win, situation! _

Shivers fell from the crown of my head, and trickled in goose bumps down my neck and shoulders. I barely stifled my gasp, when those yellow hues fluttered slowly, and a tiny smile ghosted at the corner of his lips. His eyes shut softly, the rise and fall returned of his chest, and those silent snores voiced through his thinly parted lips.

When I was assured he was back asleep, my teeth ground down to a smooth surface, I left the room without looking back.

* * *

Upon locking myself in my room for several hours, reading a few of my favorite books, and drowning myself in a good horror movie, I left my room cautiously. The house seemed oddly silent as I descended the main staircase, and jogged down to the basement. However, in this house, enjoy the silence while you can. I paused in the corridor, as the sound of pages in a book being flipped madly, echoed out into the hall. "Inuyasha, we are not naming our son _Bishamon_—That name is completely ridiculous!"

They bickered worse than I did.

"It's a great name!"

"You only like it, because it means, 'God of War'!"

"So? The kid is going to be strong!"

"I know he will be; I feel him running in the middle of the night!"

"I'm not settling for that name you picked!"

"What's wrong with _Sen_?"

"It's a fairy name!"

"UGH! INUYASHA, YOU ARE AN IDIOT!"

I think I picked the right room, when a baby name book was flung out the door. Blinking heavily, after almost being hit by a missile, I peeked into the argument zone. Kagome stood heatedly over Inuyasha, who was sitting on leather recline chair, his face turned away from his mate's angry expression. "_Bishamon_." She said in an ignorant mocking tone. "Is _not _an option."

"Then I don't want to name the kid at all." He huffed. The room froze, as a certain death was about to be delivered. I cringed as Kagome grabbed a flower vase and threw it at her husband. _Ah, what an idiot_, I hardly sympathized, watching broken glass pieces spray all over Inuyasha. There were a few stems of wild flowers in his hair, as I entered the Den to break up the fight—however, it turned into a Tug-of-War.

I caught Kagome's eye as I walked into the room. Latching onto my arm, her eyes huge and glittery, she subtly asked for my registration form. "Tell Inuyasha he's being stupid, Rin. _Sen_ is a good name, right? What moron would name their child 'God of War'?"

"Err.."

Inuyasha jumped to his feet, "What the—? HEY! Don't you dare side with her, Rin!" He shook his fist as a means of a beating. I stared at the man dully; did he really think he could hurt me? Rolling my eyes, I patted Kagome's shoulder, and walked forward with her. "I don't agree with any of you. Nor do I want to get in your petty fight." I laughed.

I started to retrace my words, when Kagome's eyes glistened with hushed tears. I spoke hurriedly, "Act-actually.. don't like either names—no offense! This is your child, you pick the name."

She regarded me hostility, her watery mood swing shoved aside. "Putting aside all reasons of who, why and with, but if you were having a boy—what would you name him?" She interrogated. Under two sets of narrowed eyes, I felt like I was unwiring a bomb, instead of answering a maternity question.

"Well, I've personally always like the name Naoko." I shrugged, pretending to be nonchalant as they eyed me like Grade A meat. Inuyasha shrugged, "Not bad. Sesshomaru's was a little better though."My eyes narrowed as Kagome released me, and relaxed on a winged armchair. "Where's your asshole of a brother?" I asked, "And since when does the man with a pole up his ass, have an opinion about an infant hanyou?" Kagome bit her lip and turned her head to the side. Inuyasha raised a dark eyebrow at me, "Well, after upon deciding a metal for my baby, I asked his opinion on names."

"That _human-hating_ bastard gave you a name, for your _hanyou_ child?" I asked. "Are you sure he still wasn't delirious from pain?"

"No. And my brother's wound has healed properly now." _Brother?_ I couldn't take it anymore. "Why the fuck is everyone so buddy-buddy now?" I hissed angrily. "Before, whenever someone mentioned his name, you used to want to literally pray for his death, Inuyasha! And when the asshole imprinted on me, you wouldn't leave my doorway, because you were worried he'd go into my room and hurt me! What made this change, from wanting to kill the man who hates you, your own mate, your child, and your parents—to caring for him like he actually was your big brother all along! Why! INUYASHA, WHY?" I screamed, my hands clenching into shaking fists.

A telephone ring broke the air.

Inuyasha picked it up on the second ring. Pinching the bridge between his eyes, he answered the phone. "Yeah? No.." Inuyasha's eyes briefly lingered on my face. "He went out to a business meeting an hour ago. Something important he said—" His sentence broke mid way. Kagome's head snapped back, and she gazed at her husband with wide eyes.

"Seriously? Wait.. no.. Yeah, I guess I can."

I turned to Kagome, "He's better now?" I questioned bitterly, my tone hinting that my question was directed to Sesshomaru. She pressed her lips together tightly, briefly looking at her husband on the phone.

"Yeah, he even left for a meeting, about an hour ago."

"What!" I screeched. "I reduced myself to the lowest position possible, and the bastard repays me by going out into the city?"

"Yeah, you did get to the lowest _position_."

I shot daggers at Inuyasha's smirking face, as he returned the phone to its cradle. "Is he a fucking moron?" I ranted. "Risking infection, again?"

"Youkai's don't get infections." He continued, his grin growing wider. "So what's with the Twenty Questions? Miss him?"

Hissing at him through my clenched teeth, Inuyasha just smiled. Getting up from his seat, he went over to Kagome, and kissed the top her head. "I take it you heard?" He asked softly. "When you can tap into your husband's youkai hearing power, it's harder to not hear." Kagome mumbled sulkily.

"Shit. I'm sorry, Kags.." He kissed her forehead again soundly. "I'll be back in record speed! Dad just wants me to meet him and mom at the airport."

"Inu.." She pouted, her eyes swelling up.

_What the hell, weren't they just arguing five minutes ago?_

"Real soon.." He whispered, pulling her in closer—

Ugh. Shielding my eyes with my hands, I walked back out of the room. Might as well let the couple have their moment.. not like they needed it. Always corrupting children's innocence in broad daylight, those too. Then again, I guess it was mainly Kagome's hormones to blame.

"Take care of her, Rin!" He barked from inside the Sun room. "Or I'll have your hide!"

I waved my hand nonchantly, "Yeah, yeah."

The garden door in Sun room shut softly and Kagome's depressed sigh was loudly presented in return.

* * *

It wasn't even an hour later, when there was the sound of large feet walking up the exterior marble steps. Kagome's eyes glistened happily, a bright smile lighting her face, as she perked up from her kitchen seat. "Oh! Is that Inu?" She cooed loudly, exiting the room at a fast pace. I just smiled and grasped my hot beverage, as Kagome's shadow in the hall disappeared into the foyer.

"Go check." I mumbled, in between my sips of black coffee.

There was a scuffle of shoes, and a muffled voice. Scrunching my eyebrows together in confusion, I walked to the door frame of the kitchen, and peered down the empty hallway. "Kags?" I questioned. "If you're making out with her husband, please say something so I know to exit the first floor." I joked. But only silence greeted me back. Furrowing my brow, I hesitantly went down the corridor, and turned into the empty foyer.

The door was wide open.

Since when did she ever leave the door ajar? "Kagome?" I called, my voice edged with panic. There was a tightening feeling within my chest, and it helped propel my feet further into the room. Maybe she went outside to meet him? A twinge in my gut had me moving to the open doorway— And just in time to see what actually has just occurred. An ear-splitting scream echoing from outside, had me racing through the door.

It was like running into a brick wall.

Horror quenched my system, as I got a glimpse of a huge flock of youkai birds. There had to be at least thirty of them, all armed with murderous talons and sharp eye-gouging beaks. They were all birds of prey— Kites, Sagittariidae's, Vulture's, and even Caracara's. And right in the epicenter of the black cloud, was a familiar pregnant body. Her limbs were flailing in the warm wind, and from a distance, she looked like a blue scarf caught in a tree. Panic and anger shook my clenched fists, realizing that Kagome was being carried off by a Harpy Eagle youkai.

Harp's were carnivores.

They ate the dead.. and living.

The sounds of their flapping wings were like of a helicopter, and the pulsing beats were deafening as they all cleared over the top of the mansion gate. Without even thinking of my awaiting assassins in the forest they were flying over, I bolted from the house steps without a single thought of my own life. My bare feet pounded against the crushed gravel of the driveway.

I could_ not_ let them take her away.

"KAGOME!" I yelled.

Growling loudly as I grasped part of the wrought-iron gate, I swiftly climbed it and swung myself over the ornamental fence. Once on my feet on the other side, I hurtled across the dirt road, and darted into the thick bamboo forest. Racing forward, I got closer to the pack of raptors. Close enough to see Kagome's shoulders being held roughly by two grey talons.

_Shit, shit, SHIT! _Why the fuck couldn't I've been born a youkai? I was fucking useless when it came to flying demons! FUCK!

I growled angrily as I shredded my shirt between sharp branches; my eyes locked on the wings of the bird youkai above the growth of trees. My shoe-less feet danced across the harsh ground, pricking my skin on spiked debris, and dirt sliding between my toes. Launching myself off a large rock, I soared feet-first between stocks of bamboo, gaining ground.

Racing out into an open space, I placed my bare feet on a thick bamboo chute, and I pulled myself up the green limb. Increasing my speed, I noticed Kagome's bright blue shirt coming closer, as my hands screamed in protest. I bit my lip as I hauled my fat ass up the pole, ignoring the muscle pain in my biceps.

"Nice attempt, human bitch."

The top of the bamboo stock tilted slightly downwards. Shock choked my throat, as I snapped my head up to gaze into a set of inhuman eyes. A sadistic grin highlighted her youkai features; steel flecks in her irises, speckled ash-grey colored skin, and a red paint-brush stroke lashed across her throat. She was a Cutthroat Finch.

My words were strangled, "_Asami.._?"

Her smirk widened.

"RIN!"

Kagome's terrified scream bolted me from my horrified trance. A streak of her blue blouse passed over our heads, her one house slipper barely staying on her swollen foot, as the other plummeted to the ground. Asami had turned briefly to the shriek, and revealed a large spider emblem that took up her whole back, on her black and plum-purple shinobi outfit.

Still shell-shocked, my hands shaking badly, I desperately tried to get my flat-lining brain to function. Taking Asami's diversion, I quickly grasped my gold plated kanzashi stick from my messy bun—but she was just as quick.

_CRACK._

I grimaced as her partially-clawed foot macerated my hand, just as Kagome flew over us, fiercely compressing it against my bamboo ladder. Leaning close to my face, she split her smile from ear to ear—literally. Thousands of needle teeth gleamed maliciously down at me. "It's too late to save your hanyou-breeding friend now." She venomously tittered, watching my emotional hysteria twisting my facial expression.

"You-fucking-bitch." I bit out, ignoring my tears of deception.

Asami pouted mockingly, seeing my glistening eyes. "Oh, you never saw through my human charade? You actually believed I was your friend?" Her other foot released her position on the bamboo above my trapped hands, and with a noisy flutter of her wings, she slammed that claw upon my already iron bound wrists. Those sharp talons curled around the green pipe, spearing relentlessly into my crushed palms. I could feel my blood running quickly down my palms, as a dull sting burrowed into my hand.

Her smile spread even further, "I always knew you were _blind_ to the obvious." She sneered.

That was the final blow.. I suddenly forgot how to breathe.

There was a fleeting whistle-sharp sound that traveled through the forest, which barely shook me from my dead body—but Asami released me, and shot like a bat out of Hell into the sky. With nothing pinning me to the bamboo, my bloodied hands lost their grip—I fell like a rag doll. The other bamboo stalks were like poles of iron, as they punched nastily into my ribs and slapped bruises on my legs and arms.

It was nothing compared to the feeling of failure and despair.

I wanted to let myself fall a bit more, beat myself up for not seeing through Asami.. But my body had other plans. My injured left hand shot out, the fiction screaming nosily as I slid down the smooth bamboo chute. Once the world stopped falling, I could feel my head and feet dangling in the open air. Hopelessness surged in my chest again, as the growing dots of Kagome's captures took her away…

And was replaced by familiar green, yellow, and black bird youkai's.. Ginzea youkai's.

"Rin.."

My head snapped downwards, still wide with shock and swimming tears.

InuTashio.

I almost sobbed when he opened his loving, safe arms.. My fingers unclenched from the bamboo, and I dropped into the awaiting embrace. InuTashio held me close, pressing me into his strong fatherly chest, shielding my tears of shame. My bloody fingers gripped his shirt to my mouth, muffling my broken sobs.

The pattered feet of other people made their way towards us, as my second father held me protectively close. The scent of Wisteria and fresh snow filled my trembling lungs, as a musky forest and fruit aroma joined the first. A large hand soothed itself up and down my back, while more feminine digits gently brushed my hair.

InuTashio's rumbling voice spoke softly, "Inuyasha?" He questioned.

The smaller hand in my hair stilled, "He's running after them.. But he won't get close enough to catch her; our son cannot grow wings when he demes fit." Izayoi's flat voice answered.

They didn't save Kagome.

I held my jaw together, trying to hold back the threatening sob. My tear-soaked lips whispered through my clenched teeth, "I'm so sorry.."

Strong arms held me tightly, as InuTashio's warm fatherly scent washed through me. "It is not your fault—" He tried to console.

"It is." I sobbed.

"Oh, Sweetheart.." Izayoi's teary voice almost sent me over the edge.

We all held still, enveloped in our own emotional wires, as the sound of other Ginzea members filled around our growing circle. It was only a minute or two later, when you could feel the tense atmosphere thickening, when everything fell over the calm brim..

Jakotsu's dark voice whispered broke the silence. "Sir."

I could feel InuTashio shift slightly to the left, to face the masculine other. My muscles braced nervously, as I knew what Jakotsu's new tone implied..

My father's chest rumbled deeply.

"Call _everyone_."

* * *

It wasn't hard to hear their whispers of shock, their astounded words of _'back-stabbing high school friend'_, and gossip-hidden hums of _'only child-hood friend to except her being blind'_. And it was harder to ignore the growing voices, as the mansion increased with unbelievable numbers. My dull eyes peered out the window. Any available space around the mansion was filled up like a city mall parking lot. There were even a few helicopters and small aircrafts in the more open acres. I turned my head back towards the basement's large flat-screen, and peered over the many head's filling the room.

There was a sudden shout, and everyone rushed towards the television—blocking my view.

"Shit!"

"—are you seeing this?"

"-set up?"

"Who the hell is she?"

"GET INUTASHIO!"

Confused, I pushed through the crowd—close enough to see what was going on.

It was a Star interview in America, live and on the air. Kagura Otsu sat like an Egyptian queen, hair done by a Salon designer, makeup more stunning than a Geisha's, and a dress that made your own seem like rags. She completed her paparazzi display, with a familiar, luxurious dark-haired man beside her.

Sesshomaru.

What was he doing next to her..?

Someone put the TV's volume to the max. My heart clenched painfully as I neared closer to the back of a couch. Their voices from their interview became louder. **_"—Yes! We're very excited!"_**

A Californian woman, orange tan and blond hair, gave a fake smile as she pressed her microphone closer to the two_. **"So you're not worried about the close date?"**_ She laughed sweetly.

Kagura smiled and shook her head daintily_, **"Of course not. September is a beautiful month, especially with all the leaves turning into fall colors."**_ She spoke, turning to Sesshomaru with beautiful eyes.

Her diamond-ring-infected hand clasped softly around Sesshomaru's.

**"_Oh, so you're going to have the_ _wedding_****_ outside?"_**

The wind was knocked out of me.

It felt like someone just chucked me to the ground.

My eyes were swirling with water.

People were shouting loudly.

Sango's arms tried to catch me as I stumbled over my feet.

I could hear Izayoi's scream as she came running to me.

But..

I could only see the blurry paused TV screen. And only hear my broken laughter, the sound appearing to be normal, though I could barely think of how this human emotion worked now.

I smiled, but my lips were trembling..

I..

I was..

Pretending as if I wasn't just knocked off my feet, and bleeding like it didn't hurt.

.. wishing I could give anything to just feel something else.

Arms began to surround me in comfort, but they felt like iron constraints. My bending knees began to shake violently. The world around my glistening eyes twisted and turned the room into colorful smears. A heart-broken sob choked through my quivering down-turned lips. All the bones in my body felt like they were snapped in half, weakening my every move as I fell slowly to the floor in a heap. The nerves in my system were shot. My heart was a mangled heap of flesh and blood. My molars gritted together nauseatingly, the vibrations shaking my head like a jackhammer, pain surging in every corner of my head. My fingers clenched against the hardwood floor painfully, my nails digging into the ground.

A dead scream echoed through my mouth.

Jagged claws scorched and clawed maliciously at my pain-crippled, catatonic, wiry frame. All my reasons for fighting, all fragments of light.. were slammed shut in my face.

A heartbreaking sob ripped through my sore throat.

I screamed and thrashed around in their arms, my limbs flailing around my wild heart. I could barely breathe as fury and pain suddenly rushed through my throat. My focus was bent on destroying everything around me— the television first. I felt their hands on me, gripping and pulling, twisting me in their embraces. I didn't want to be comforted; I wanted to rip his face off that screen! I didn't understand the fury that sizzled through my system, and how my brain only managed to thing a one lettered thought——Betrayal.

I don't remember who had slackened their grip the slightest, but my body did and took that into our favor. I ripped away from them, broke from the crowd, hands flying in every direction to catch me, and bore down on the flickering screen. I suddenly jerked to a stop, a foot from the massive screen. Someone had paused the interview and possibly at the worst angle. My jaw quivered, tears I unknowingly held in slipped out, and my organs disappeared from my body.

He was smiling at her.

Not a hidden-motive smirk, or a queasy fake grin.

Sesshomaru was smiling at this woman.. like he _loved her_.

A broken sound, gasped out from my mouth— Followed by another, until my vision became hazy with hot tears. I blinked them away for a second, and the next second I found my body fleeing from the living room, and up the stairs.

It felt as if I was a ghost, as I watched myself find the nearest bathroom, tears in a constant free fall. I barely heard the upset and worried calls of the people downstairs, or the thunders of their stomping feet up the stairs. My shaking hands locked the door. I barely could focus as my trembling fingers furiously turned all the taps of the shower, and notice how broken I appeared as I hunched over the dials like a drug-addict.

When the water finally did spray down upon me, I took a bar of soap and pumice stone to my skin, angrily scraping at any exposed skin. Whenever my alien hands encountered fabric, I took them off without a single thought, hell bent on cleaning every inch of my _'dirty'_ skin.

I was crying so hard, I didn't even notice the water was scalding hot.

* * *

a/n:

I ended up taking a fair amount of the ending off-- it makes chapter 5 flow nicer-- but I still worked like crazy on this chapter.

_**PLEASE **_review.. I friggen love you all for your great comments :)

**Oh, btw, is anyone interested in being my beta reader for this story? You wouldn't have to do it for very long-- there's only 5 chapters remaining in the story. I read fairly quickly, and I reread my written material thousands of time, so I can't always catch my mistakes :S **

Ja ne.


	5. O

_Eat You Up

* * *

_

Summary:

**She's fierce, a respected Yakuza member. And yet forced to stay behind, playing nurse for an arrogant inuyoukai? With someone trying to kill her and being suddenly 'imprinted'- Rin doesn't what's worse: forced to love Sesshomaru, or being assassinated.

* * *

**

_Quick__ vocal__:_

_* Karesansui ["Dry" Japanese gardens, often called "Zen Gardens". It makes symbolic representations of natural landscapes using stone arrangements, white sand/pea pebbles, moss and pruned trees.]_

_* Kogai [__A hair __ornament__ used in traditional __Japanese__ hairstyles__. Rods of Becco (tortoiseshell or artificial) or other materials such as ceramics or metals. Kogai means sword in Japanese. This is appropriate because many _Kogai Kanzashi_ are formed from a pin and a sleeve, like a sword and its sheath. They are often sold as a set with an accompanying kushi comb.]_

_* J__ūnihitoe __[__An extremely elegant and highly complex kimono that was only worn by court-ladies in Japan. Literally translated it means "twelve-layer robe". The jūnihitoe started to appear around the 10th century during the Heian-Era. The various layers are silk garments. The innermost garment is made of white silk, followed by other layers which have various names, which are finally closed off by a final layer or coat. The total weight could add up to 20 kilograms.__]_

_* Shuko [Metal claws/spikes attached to straps, which wrap around your hands, and are used to climb efficiently.]_

* * *

The water had changed me...

I stared at myself in the mirror. No longer was my skin pale, but blotted with red groups of irritated skin. My hair was long and stringy, divert of the fullness it once possessed. I felt lost and useless. Dull cinnamon eyes flickered to the shaking door handle_— _they were still trying to get in. The hissing of the shower filled the room, burying the sound of yelling outside the bathroom. I had placed rolled towels around the cracks of the door, so no one could hear anything anymore. I didn't think anyone would be able to recognize me now.

Not even him.

My hands gripped the pendant sink, knuckles turning white. Swirls of pain began to hit me, crippling physical torture that had no reason. My ribs on my right began to ache, as if I had been kicked. Those lips I once used to sound out cruel words, twisted and grimaced into an agonized expression. I clenched my eyes against the tears. My teeth gritted against each other, as another bulldozer of agony hit me.

A scream rippled up through my throat.

* * *

I've never seen Izayoi cry so much.

I just wished I knew... what I was feeling. My limbs, refused to move. Every time I tried to breathe, I could feel a little part of me crack inside, as if I was pushing my luck and stepping onto an old rickety bridge. Like my body was trying to break itself in half. The feeling, the texture of this emotion, was more painful than walking around with two broken legs: Impossible and ridiculous. Only idiots would ignore the pain and not do something about it.

I think when a few girls tried to lift me off the bathroom floor, that's when I fainted.

The next thirteen hours were the same way. I would lie in my bed, someone guarding the outside of my bedroom door and stare off into space. Whenever someone tried to touch me, coax me out of this dark pain, I blacked out. I didn't honestly care that my brain was also damaged, if it was damaged, I was enough of a freak already. I'm surprised they were helping someone as pathetic as me. Here was one of Japan's top Yakuza fighter deformed by subtle information, and physiologically and physically impaired of moving any of her body parts. I had never felt so small and insignificant.

Besides the never ebbing pain, and large doses of not-asked-for morphine, I felt strong anger. Horrid rage filling the damaged cracks of my body, all burning and hissing for revenge. It wasn't that that he slandered the heroic name of his father's blood line, deceived his entire father's Gizena-just the appalling twisted words he spoke to me. The lies of being intertwined by soul with mine, the confusing actions he did around me, conflicting things he formed from his tongue and lips..

I gritted my teeth and stopped my train of thought.

I just didn't understand why he lied to me, to everyone, about the imprinting. I didn't have to be blind, to see his fang marks near Kagura's ear. But I wasn't stupid enough that he had to adorn words with petty fibs, to use me... or get to something close to me. I wasn't deaf to people's conversations around me, as they gossiped outside my door, thinking I was practically dead to the world.

My world only got darker with their every sentence.

_"Is it true?"_

_"About using Rin-san? Yeah. How low is that?"_

_"I knew the guy was cold, and hated humans, but to this extent? To actually pretend to love her, only to use her odd seeing ability, so he could adapt the technique to his weapon line? Sick bastard."_

_"Yeah. I overheard Sango talking to InuTashio about it, but he denied it, repeatedly."_

_"Of course he would, he still feels guilty that Sesshomaru blames him for his mother's death."_

_"But how did he pretend to know what Rin-san was feeling? Like the time she almost sawed Kouga to bits in the doujo. And what about those dents in the cement wall back at the Ozone mission? She's only human."_

_"Well, Rin-san's emotions are an open book... and he's a full dai youkai. He's stronger than the rest of us. But as for her extra strength, I'm assuming it's due to her special ability-to use youkai aura to her power."_

I wasn't deaf.

I was blind.

* * *

I was starting to disintegrate, as if paper was submerged too long in water.

Izayoi had stayed by my side, trying to convince me with words that would make me rise, from my determined grave of silence. She may be immortal, but she couldn't fight off slumber. I don't remember what hour InuTashio came into my room, and carried his sleeping wife away. I did know, as I laid there facing away from him, he couldn't look at me. Face the living disaster his son had created.

For the first time, I think InuTashio felt ashamed.

* * *

If the busy bees of the mansion were still around, I didn't even smell them make supper. Maybe I was just too numb from it all, too disoriented to recognize simple human tendencies. I just knew the sight of the plate of food on my nightstand, and realized it was around five pm.

I didn't eat.

* * *

Sleep never overcame me, even as the cold moon glinted down at me, from outside my bedroom window and through the sakura tree. My eyes shifted downwards, to stare at something that would be less painful.

I was just grateful the moon wasn't a waning crescent.

* * *

I was still there as the morning sun rose. The light aqua blues and pinks filled the sky, racing away the darkness of the night. I turned my lifeless eyes to gaze at the withering hasu flower arrangement on my bureau, ignoring the bright colors of an early morning. I've always hated pastel colors.

Too fucking cheery.

My ears didn't pick of the noise of Izayoi reentering my room, until I saw her familiar form. This time she brought a large tray of pastries and two coffee cups. She knew I wasn't about to give in to her pleas-for I had surrendered enough already. So she remained defeated beside my bed, curling onto my cream chaise longue she dragged from under my bay window.

Her delicate fingertips held my frozen ones, while her others curved around her tea cup.

We remained in silence, as tears rolled quietly down her face.

* * *

Inuyasha had come into my room, almost bashing my door off its hinges. Not even ten full-fledged youkai could hold him back. He yelled at me. Said I wasn't being my haughty self and that I was giving up, something _Rin_ never did. But was I even _Rin_ anymore? I felt more like the bleeding fifteen year old, kneeling in a pool of her own blood, in front of her family's murder scene.

He said he wasn't giving up on Kagome, but he still needed my help to pull through.

But how could I help someone, when I couldn't even save myself?

I remained in my aching silence. That's when he started throwing things to the floor. My weakening hasu's laid in a broken puddle of dirt and earth, parts of my large closet were thrown to the floor in shreds, and even my walls were gouged out.

I still didn't move.

Maybe it was some kind of cancer that contaminated my body?

Was that why I couldn't move?

... It had to be cancer.

I blinked away the darkening afternoon.

* * *

It was night, when I rose; when I heard their voices from outside my vacant room.

_"-You're acting as if this will be a suicide mission! Miroku! If I have to trade places with my best friend, to save her beautiful ass, I sure as hell will!"_

_Suicide mission..._ I tried heaving myself upright on my pillows. My sudden curiosity blocked my painful movements.

_"Please! Listen to me!"_

_"I can't, Miroku! Kagome is kidnapped by those flying bastards! Sesshomaru has betrayed his family- let alone Rin! You can't tell me, after seeing our best fighter falling as if she's been gutted, that you're going to not help me save her and Kagome?"_

There was a loud sigh in the hallway.

_"Miroku... I've never seen someone so broken. It's worse than when she arrived here after her family was murdered. I can't take another dosage of this! I'm going to fucking slaughter Sesshomaru when I see his puny ass!"_

The pain in body rippled.

_"Just because Rin-chan has become this way, doesn't mean you have be mother hen and fix everything."_

_"Well sometimes someone has to step up! And since Rin is obviously in no position to take part in this, I'm the closest one to looking like her!"_

My eyes widened.

They were making Sango my double.

_"It's only a twenty percent chance that they're actually holding Kagome there!"_

_"If it was one percent, I'd still go!"_

_"If Rin-chan, the Gineza's top weapon, had been managed to be chloroformed and captured there - what chance do you have?"_

_"It's a risk I'm willing to take Miroku, now shut up so I can go to the damn laundry room and retrieve some of Rin's clothes."_

They were holding Kagome at the closed-down mall, in the Namba district. The place what I had been captured, during the _Black Blood_ mission. My eyebrows scrunched together slightly. But why the hell did a pathetic gang like them, go through so much trouble to capture Kagome? And why was Sango dressing up like me? I inhaled softly, my mind buzzing. My breath suddenly hitched.

They were trying to lure me out. Those idiots weren't expecting Kagome and Inuyasha to return back to Osaka, so they accidentally mistook her for me, the only female in the mansion. The Ginzea must have realized this too, and asked Sango to dress as me, since I wasn't... able.

This meant... that this yakuza were the ones behind my high assassination fee. They wanted me, and they wanted me dead. But why, _why _the fuck were they all going through such lengths, to capture and kill me? I wasn't some special youkai, a secretly talented human, or a fucking genius. I had nothing worthy of taking.

Whatever the hell they wanted from me, they obviously did their background check on me.

Which was obviously was Asami's job. And I had been her friend since elementary... school. My lungs stuttered, as a weight of realization hit me dead on. This plan, it had been into action for over fifteen years... years of finding my habits, seeing behind the scenes. They had been watching me, before I was ever introduced to InuTashio's Yakuza; past the days where I met Kagome in high school; prior to when my family was slaughtered; previous to my almost-first middle school kiss; and since the day my parents moved with me to Tokyo.

They knew of my temper, my determination, my famous ruthlessness. They knew that family was my highest priority. Family came first, and I was going to fucking do everything in my damn power, to bring Kagome back safely. Kagome didn't deserve to be touched by those rotten bastards, and they damn well knew I would come after her- crippled by unexplained pain or not.

They knew.

* * *

I waited patiently as Sango and Miroku left the second floor of the mansion. She made sure, with a Gizena youkai's help, that the clothes she took from my hamper were scented strongly of me. Listening as their words faded, and their footsteps to the basement, I built up my strength.

Moving my hand was like pushing a brick wall.

Hissing softly, I tried gripping my blanket, pulling it away from my body. Why was this so hard? I didn't fucking understand! I felt like a ninety-year-old granny! I laid my strained body back on the pillows, sweat starting to heat the skin on my forehead, and the small of my back.

_This had to be worse than running._

I've always hated running. I hate the way your lungs are locked in strangled rhythms, and how tight and painful your chest gets. And if you run far and hard enough, you feel like you're going into cardiac arrest.

_.. but I love winning._

So, as I entered my new fierce life in the Gizena.. I learned to love running. To prove I could do it. I could get to that finish line, and even do another agonizing lap.

Why?

Fragile hands weakly pushed away the pale-green duvet.

_Because... if someone else can do it._

My frail legs slowly swung from off my bed, and gently pressed the soles of my feet to the cold floor.

_I can do it better._

_I've cheated death._

_So why can't I beat this?_

I limped tiredly into my closet, over my clothes that had been thrown to the ground. The smell of moth balls and laundry softener filled my weak lungs. I didn't waste any time. My hands latched onto dark, movable clothing, and pulled them onto my anemic body. Snagging a large duffel bag off the top shelf, already partially filled with bullet rounds and machine guns, I shakily threw a few rolls of cash into the bag. Checking the batteries in a few disposable cell phones and trackers, I also heaved them in.

Taking two small flat boxes, filled with ceramic bombs, I slid them carefully into the duffel bag.

The thing I only left behind, were the bullet-proof vests.

* * *

One quick look at me, and you'd think someone dumped black paint over my head. Covered from head to toe, I wore ebony material and sooty face paint. Hopefully no one could recognize me... or see me. With two criss-crossed duffel bags on my aching back, I turned away from my sickly-smelling room and went to my closed window.

Holding back my snort of amusement, I pushed open the unlocked bedroom window.

Did they honestly believe I wouldn't escape?

Biting my lip, I leaned forward and pushed off silently. My gloved hands wrapped around the thick Sakura tree, while my legs hurriedly curved around the outstretched branch. Letting my hands go from the bark, I swung upside down for a second, listening for any worrisome movements back in the house. Letting out a strangled sigh, I curved my back away from the tree. Tilting my head backwards, the thick trunk of the tree in view, I brought my hands towards the trunk and dug my shuko into the bark. Dropping my legs from my safety line, I fell against the tree, where my hands now held my body upright. Blinking away the sudden nausea from the movement, I began to scale my way down the tree.

The second my feet hit the ground, I was gone like the wind; I air-somersaulted over artistically-placed boulders, streaked noiselessly through Japanese trees and shrubs, and rushed over a high-arched garden bridge. I thought I had reached the end of the garden when I saw the six-foot stone wall- but the second I tried to swing my legs over the fence, my legged cramped up, and I fell like a bird shot dead.

A spray of white rocks splashed around my fallen form.

I was in Izayoi's Karesansui garden.

Hissing in humiliation for not remembering this section of land, I bowed my head toward the ground, teeth grinding noisily together. There was a soft _plink_. Looking down into the white pebbles, a running red dot boldly contrasted against the white climate.

My forehead had a small gash.

Fuck!

Pressing my fingers against the wound to stop the bleeding, I spun my head around to look at the Sun Room's veranda—to make sure I didn't get caught.

My opaque eyes focused on a large pair of emerald greens.

A tiny hanyou girl stared at me, her mouth comically agape. She looked only two or three, with long black hair in high pony-tails, a colorful green dress and matching sandals. I could feel my face cringe, realizing she could give me up- she was in the Terrible Two's. Just one holler from the girl, and I'd be dragged inside.

Instead of her running for the authorities, the little girl pushed aside the sliding glass door, and rushed out into the garden. Her tiny feet scattered pea pebbles everywhere, like a car's tire through a puddle. My astounded eyes watched her every move, as she quickly danced towards me. Her expression became serious, as she pulled out a crinkly package from her dress pocket. She had a minor struggle with the papery cover, but efficiently pulled out the pink strip.

It was a Hello Kitty band-aid.

I pursed my lips, debating whether I should be embarrassed she was offering me a neon plastic aid- or the fact that the anime character was a hated being that Inuyasha wanted to kill, in which he would never let me live down this experience. While I was deciding my options, the little crow-hanyou glued the Band-Aid to my forehead.

I was about to rip off the offending material, when a large toothy grin from the little girl stopped my fingers. Sighing softly, I smiled in returned; patting her head gently as I rose to my feet. Pressing a finger to my lips, and giving a quick wink, I quickly rushed across the yard. Grabbing the top of the fence, I hauled myself over in a silent swoop.

After taking a three-hundred and sixty degree head turn, I bolted across the dark paved road and into the bamboo forest I recently visited..

_The top of the bamboo stock tilted slightly downwards. Shock choked my throat, as I snapped my head up to gaze into a set of inhuman eyes. A sadistic grin highlighted her youkai features; steel flecks in her irises, speckled ash-grey colored skin, and a red paint-brush stroke lashed across her throat. She was a Cutthroat Finch._

_My words were strangled, "_Asami_..?"_

_Her smirk widened._

My jaw clenched as I ducked under a fallen bamboo chute. A slightly worn trail in the grass, guided my feet forward. A few turns, and swatting of spider web lines, my eyes adjusted upon a rustic old shed. Between the old wooden planks, a soft glimmer of metal whispered out.

Pushing away a heavy two-by-four out of my way, I entered the sketchy building.

I had stolen this car... I bet my blood was still in the trunk. Shuddering at the horrible memory of my first and only kidnapping, I headed towards the driver's door and crouched down. The poorly crafted panels and colors made me cringe. I hated Western vehicles. Shiny bronze paint shimmered dully up at my face, casting a dim shine on the joy I shared with it.

For emergency purposes, the Gizena hid vehicles all over the world, filled with extra cash, weaponry, fake passports, disguise material, and disposable cell phones. We often modified stolen cars that came into our possession, so we wouldn't be linked to any of our wallets. Entering a four digit code into the driver's side door, the lock unhinged, and I slid into the seat. I tilted the wheel downwards, while my other hand picked at the car's ignition. The car purred to life, and I gunned the engine.

The wooden entrance burst into bits, as I reversed through the wall, and spun the steaming wheels.

I was on the highway, with twigs and leaves in my wipers, within only seconds. My tires squealed nosily as my foot pressed onto harder on the gas. Swerving into the second lane, I headed over the freeway and down towards the Namba district. As the tires turned, I began to fill my head with strategies. Last time I had been in front of this building, the only accessible entrance was threw the front. The others were boarded up to tightly, that not even a rat could squeeze through... which had be questioning the previous building owners.

If I went through the entrance, and if I got killed on the spot...

Who would save_—_?

_"I'll always continue to protect you."_

My lips pressed together, and my eyes glistened.

_—_Kagome in time?

My hands gripped the steering wheel at two and ten as the gas pedal rammed against the interior floor.

I shook my head violently from side to side quickly, smearing the water away from my eyes, before focusing a glare back out onto the open road. I couldn't do this weepy shit; it wasn't me, no matter how broken or bruised I felt.

I was so twisted around my own thoughts, I hardly noticed as I instinctively drove the 1974 Plymouth Duster closer and closer to the mall. The car softly snapped fallen twigs on the crackled asphalt, as I drove silently forward. The dark rumbling clouds above irked me as I pressed onto the brakes. Eying the boarded up windows, covered in flapping advertisements, I wondered briefly why bad shit always happened on rainy days.

The last link in the steal chain locking up the double doors swung lifeless in the thick wind. They knew I was coming, and sneakily or not. I would end up killing them all. I slammed the old door loudly, announcing my presence while I shouldered my black bag of goodies. My eyes shifted towards a movement on my right.

Another rain drop spotted on my black shoulder-and my vision became misty.

"Awe, fuck," I muttered groggily.

The world around me spun nastily and turned black, as an empty bottle fell from above me.

* * *

I never had a bad hangover until now.

My drugged body shifted in the stiff embrace. It felt like someone filled my head with helium air, and it fell back and lulled drunkenly from between my shoulders. "This is-is the second fuc-fucking time." I began to rant to no one.

"Mn-in!"

I squeezed my eyes tightly together, as I tried to focus on the sudden voice.

"MM-IN!"

Did someone shove cotton in my ears?

Cracking an eye open, the dim light of a single light bulb cut into my tired vision. "Err.. hello?" Squinting, I called out. "Can you turn the fucking light off?"

"-IN!"

"Yeah," I called lazily, trying to lift my heavy arm. "In this room."

"_RIN!_"

That caught my attention.

"Kagome?" I blurted out, shifting my heavy limp body to sit up right. "Are you okay?" I grimaced and smacked my lips together a few times; I could still taste the bitter chloroform.

"Rin, oh my god, they didn't hurt you did they?"

My buzzing head was going a thousand miles a minute, so I tried lifting up my hand, to tell her I needed a minute-what the hell? Using a bit more effort to hoist my arm up, I realized something was wrong... My head dropped downwards like a porcelain dolls, and I opened my milky eyes wider.

My hands were fucking tied together.

"The-y tied us up? _Pfft._ What, are we playing cop and robber?" I laughed. "Dumb asses!"

"Rin! Please take this seri_—_did they _drug_ you?."

I giggled noisily with my head still bowed down.

There was a sharp squeak nearby Kagome, and she sighed loudly in her own chair constraints. "Great, I get kidnapped, carried in the freezing wind for two hours, and I end up in a dusty room with a drunken teenager. Not how I wanted to spend my last moments alive."

Breathing noisily through my mouth, as I lurched my head back, ignoring the pain hammering at my exhausted brain. "Kagome," I called. "Did they say why they took you? Or anything related to your capture?"

There was silence... and then the world was holding down the fast forward button.

Kagome began to sob loudly.

Shifting in my tight bindings, all limbs and movement point tied down, I dizzily tried to locate the pregnant woman. She was off to my right side, a fallen bandanna for her mouth, around her neck. Aside from her one shoeless foot, her clothes appeared to still be their original color, and there was not blood or scrapes on her. They didn't hurt her.

"It's okay." I tried to soothe softly, the drugs effect disappearing. "They're on their way to save us. I was just a little too reckless, and got here first."

She only began to wail louder.

"Kag-"

"Rin..." She interrupted her voice heartbroken. "I-_I'msosorry_! I knew, I knew, I should've told you!"

My eyebrows crunched together, "What do you mean?"

"I lied to you! When you asked if Sesshomaru-"

"_Oh_, _no_, _this won't do_." A voice purred. My intoxicated mind turned my neck slowly, to catch a glimpse of a tall dark man in front of us. How did he get over here so fast...? I blinked my eyes harshly. My vision wasn't normal, but as if I had a... stigma.

This man was part hanyou.

Kagome struggled in her chair. "Naraku!" She gasped, struggling with her tied hands. "Not only will you have the entire Gizena after you! But Sesshomaru as well!" Venom spat from her voice.

My heart grated painfully at the sound of _his_ name, as I tried to close my gapping mouth. The man laughed egoistically, "Oh, I'm afraid he's tied up at the moment."

"I don't believe you!" Kagome hissed. "He's surpassed you many times!"

But Naraku wasn't listening. My lungs were stuck between a hiss and a strangled gasp, as dark eyes focused onto me. I could see the reflection in his eyes; I was an easy prey, tied up fighter, unable to defend herself. An easy kill. I bared my teeth angrily, as the man slowly advanced towards me. How ironic for such a disturbing person, to be wearing expensive clothing, and having long silken feminine hair. He had money... enough to cover his tracks.

"You had such a nice smile, when you were younger." He laughed. "So much sweeter you had been." His scarred face was exposed in the light, as he leaned close to my face. Like he had been in a fire... "But I think I preferred your agonized expression, the moment you saw your family's bodies."

Horror injected into my body. A strangling hand of fear wrapped around my throat.

His dark eyes peered into mine, "Oh yes, Rin."

Cold fingers drawled lazily up the side of my face, and I jerked my head away from him. His words became humorous as he continued, "I had a little too much fun, got carried away I dare say, slaughtering your precious family. It was too easy to wait in the living room for your dear mother-oh how she screamed. And your father was right on time from work as usual. Your brother put up quite the fight, for such a small-" My leg snapped upwards, and hit him directly under his jaw. Blood spurted from his mouth. A dark growl rumbled between his bloody teeth, as he wiped away the red with his hand. In a flash, the man gripped my chin with an iron grip. I could feel my mandible bending under the inhuman pressure.

"I will enjoy killing you, bitch."

His large hand across my face, made a high-pitched sound as it echoed through the room. I just grinned cheekily, and spat the blood in my mouth, directly into his face. "You're more trouble, than you're worth." He laughed nastily, roughly wiping his face. "Sarisaku, at least didn't fight."

Kagome's gasp filled the room.

I turned my head to question her-

"Sesshomaru's mother..." The man's grin grew. "I kidnapped her too."

_What?_

My dilated eyes stared at the murderer of my family, as buzzing of past conversations and pictures of information filtered madly through my head. Sarisaku... the name no one dared to speak aloud. She supposedly had left InuTashio's Yakuza, on terms of hatred for the Gizena and her 'emotionally-cold' husband.

_"This is... her." Izayoi whispered, showing a small portrait scroll._

_She was more beautiful than I had thought. Her skin was creamy white, with tresses of silver hair falling from her crown. Eyes were golden like InuTashio's__—__a trait of Dai Inuyoukai's. She had two purple slash's on her cheeks, which was complimented by her lavender colored jūnihitoe. Whenever anyone spoke of the night when she left, they remembered her harsh words directed to the Gizena, her disgust in InuTashio's growing desire to kill for peace, and the revoltingly weak offspring she produced with him..._

_If so, why was she smiling in her last family portrait?_

.. She left to protect Sesshomaru, and save her husband from Naraku. _Her eyes appeared to twinkle in the dark ink, as if hiding a happy secret only the artist had discovered_. She would've rather fooled the world and died at the hands of a murderer, than let the man get any closer to her family, her life.

Sarisaku loved them.

I snapped my head up to the bastard, anger flaring even brighter in my body.

The man just grinned. "I was born one third of demon blood. My mother herself was a hanyou, but a sickly one. She spent most of her life in a hospital bed." The smile spread further. "I devoured her when I was only nine."

Bile tickled my throat.

He was a fucking _cannibal_?

"Hundreds of years ago, when youkai fought each other, if one side won, they had two options. They could behead the other and gloat in their winning glory... Or they could eat the other, and gain their powers. As my mother's child, I was weak already enough... so like a starving being, I tried whatever I could to get rid of the feeling. It just came in the form of my sleeping mother.

"My hunger was satiated, but my thirst for power was only starting. I began to track down smaller, pathetic demon forms. Each meal, I grew stronger. Small games weren't going to stop my hunger. So I began to gather allies, helped them, and in return, they became faithful to me. I began to target powerful beings. When I had gained enough strength, I decided to hunt down the one they called InuTashio. I was much older than him, and far more powerful, but it irked me than my own minions warned me to not proceed with my plans.

"After devouring those idiots, I decided to take a small bit of their advice. So, I decided to eat his precious wife first, lure him out." He hissed angrily, "I thought she would petty enough to over-power. I even heard she was weak, due to birthing InuTashio's heir_—_even better. But she was annoyingly calm, docile, and cooperative.

"I just wish I would've caught the bitch, before she stabbed herself with her kogai."

My jaw dropped in astonishment.

I had heard of wives killing themselves during wars_—_tying their legs together, and stabbing themselves, so that invaders couldn't dishonorably kill and rape them. But with a kogai? For such a strong youkai to kill herself with a primitive material... it must have taken more than a hundred blows to end her life. A hundred strikes and thoughts of doing this for her family. A death a hundred times, to just break her diamond tough skin...

Naraku chuckled loudly.

"But if she hadn't, I would've never discovered she was an Acid youkai. For such strong demon ability, that could be used thousands of different ways. I decided to hunt down her son. It took a while to locate the boy, after InuTashio strengthened all his borders and guards-even relocated his household to the outskirts of Osaka. I had only found Sesshomaru by chance_—_passing by a human homing neighborhood in Tokyo. I had been inspecting a human Shrine at the time, which actually belonged to you Kagome dear." Kagome hissed angrily, teeth bore like a protective youkai.

"I didn't even notice him, until I heard him running through the forest close to the Shrine. I made sure to cover my scent and tracks as I followed him. The boy had the appearance of thirteen year old human, and yet he had a strange look of fierce determination on his face. This intrigued me_—_but it only got better." His cold fingers traced my cheek, and I growled warningly at them. "But there you were, only a mere toddler playing in the park!" He laughed. I gritted my teeth together nastily, and tried desperately to block Naraku's humored words.

He suddenly ground his teeth together noisily-steel over steel.

"The boy caught my scent in the wind-fool wounded me badly, and I had to go into hiding to fix my arms he cut off. The acid in my wounds, took years to finally leave my body-!" A bloody gurgle erupted from his pale mouth, as a fountain of dark blood gushed from his parted lips. Alarm washed through me, as I watched the creature fall to the ground like a rag doll.

"_I _wanted to tell her, my dear." The woman's voice purred. A familiar _crack _of stiletto heels filled the air, just like the streaking bolts outside the building...

_Crack._

_Crack._

A dark shadow loomed beside a metal stilt, "I've seen you, through pages of worded reports, hours of video recordings, and I've watched you within a ten mile radius. I know you, Rin. I know you're ignoring the Imprinting."

I hissed at the figure, struggling in my binds. "If this stupid shit, the assassination attempts and Asami's pathetic friendship to me was about that _idiot__—_not only would you have wasted your time and my own_—_but I'll fucking kill you!"

A mocking gasp of laughter went through the echoing room, "You honestly don't believe you have a yearning for the Lord of the West?"

"_Yearning_? What kind of fucking killer are you? Get on with your stupid plan, bitch!" I growled, ignoring Kagome's glare. "I haven't all damn day to die!"

She purred. "I have never met a more pathetic human as you. Not only are you blind, but _truly blind_ to your vomiting human feelings."

"I've been blind for a couple years now, bitch. Get some new materi-al" I could hardly contain my gasp of shock, as she appeared under the lone lit bulb.

Kagura Otsu.

Her gorgeous expression I had once witness in a movie, was snarled and tangled in a curving infamous smile. And that damn left hand of hers, was wearing that large cushion-cut diamond engagement ring. A different kind of pain hit me_—_I gritted my teeth as my chest squeezed painfully. "Why the fuck is this turning into a bad gossip magazine?" I laughed roughly, overwhelmed.

"Because like any woman, I wanted to be saved by a hero." She mused. "I wanted to get closer to Sesshomaru, bed him, and become his mate. Even if I was truly not his imprinted mate, if I could create an heir with him, I would hold a never-dying power over Sesshomaru."

My confused expression was torn between pain and amusement. Kagura laughed and tapped her nose lightly.

"If I became his mate, Naraku, that fucking bastard, wouldn't be able to touch me anymore. I would be protected by the Gizena and members of the Western lands. I put my plan into action, to outwardly please Naraku. He wanted to devour Sesshomaru, and so I told him I would give birth to InuTashio's grandson_—_an heir, a direct descendant of the last poison youkai, that he could devour. This way, Naraku would be happy with his new strength, and I would still be protected.

"I came across _Naraku's_ plan, mere months before he first met Sesshomaru in Tokyo, when you were only a toddler. I couldn't believe, overhearing him talking to a youkai cut-throat finch child, that he didn't keep most of his promises. He would devour the infant I would produce, but also devour me and Sesshomaru."

"What does this have to do with me, and why I don't believe in this imprinting shit?" I asked, trying to desperately block out her words of _him_. "Why the hell do you want to kill me, what the fuck will you achieve from this? I don't understand how I fit into this bullshit.""

Her manicured eyebrow rose, "Do you not remember?"

I gave her a dull look, and she turned away from me. Her heeled shoe roughly kicked Kagome's chair. "Hanyou-breeding bitch." She addressed her. My jaw clenched. "Does this idiot honestly not know what happened fifteen years ago?" Kagome pursed her lips, and kept quiet as her eyes drifted towards the dusty floor. Kagura laughed loudly in astonishment, looking back at me, "Maybe Naraku smashed your head too badly, when he tried to kill you back then!"

Kagura softly mumbled to herself, "This will be even better, then..."

Instantly a sadistic smile slit from ear to ear, and she gripped the arms of my wooden chair as she leaned forward. "The day Naraku followed Sesshomaru past Kagome's family Shrine, was when Sesshomaru first laid his eyes on you. You were only a mere human infant, but the instant he saw you in that human playground, the _connection_ clicked into place."

This was the second time I heard this now... But was Kagura playing with me? Her ruby eyes glistened down at me, brimmed with disturbing joy. No. She wasn't. She'd have nothing to gain by lying to me... My eyes widened significantly, and I shot my head to look at Kagome. Though her firm eyes were focused on the floor... she wasn't disagreeing.

Shock punched me in the gut.

"It's true..?" I gasped, pain rippling up from my feet. "He's..."

Kagura gave a disgusted expression. "Oh, yes. Lord Sesshomaru imprinted upon a human girl. And even though he fled with red wide-eyed realization, he repeatedly returned to the crime scene. Every day his repugnant expression turned soft. What a fool! He visited you, protected you from afar, almost every possible hour! It was too hard for Naraku to kill you!" Her sharp nails drew down the side of my face quickly, leaving tiny beads of my blood.

I hissed in pain.

She continued on, her expression becoming darker with hatred appointed at me; "When Sesshomaru finally matured into his adult appearance, he decided to visit America for a few days, to improve his father's Gizena relations. I was told to shadow his actions in the other world, while Naraku stayed behind to kill you. He waited patiently in your house attic. When Sesshomaru's plane left, I gave the signal..."

Kagome's scream was the warning, as a big gust of wind hit me from the left. I was thrown to the ground instantly, my head cracking nastily against the floor. My arms hit the curves of the chair, creating large bruises that would be tattooed on my skin for weeks. My teeth gritted as pain erupted all over my body.

"I just didn't expect him to return after Naraku tried to kill you!" She shrieked.

A heeled foot struck my stomach.

I bowed over my appendix, grunting softly as a wave of nausea hit me.

"He easily killed your family! But you..." Her venomous hiss rattled from above me. "Sesshomaru didn't even get on his plane! He had a morphing youkai take his place, while he raced to save your pathetic life!"

Kagome screamed loudly as the woman jammed her sharp heel... right through my hand.

Black dots filled my vision, as Kagura twisted and turned her spear in my bloody appendage, bones cracking nastily. A small sample of bile coated my clenching throat.

"Sesshomaru managed to fight off Naraku, almost tearing him to shreds, the moment he saw your blood-soaked form. I do remember hearing that Naraku tried to have a little fun with you..." She grinned macabre, crouching down enough, that my wavering eyesight caught her smile.

"And instead of treating you himself, he took you to the closest relation he knew of_—_ Kagome Higurashi!"

Kagura laughed, with a slightly shocked tone.

"He swore her to promise, to never speak of his relation to you, until his plans were complete. Immediately, you were taken to the hospital, where Izayoi happened to see you. The demon-fucking bitch decided to adopt you, after spending time with you! Oh, how she never even knew that you were her step-sons imprint! Of course, once Kagome grew closer into Inuyasha's family, realized they were actually a yakuza, she spilled to the family what she knew. A few calls to America, and they decided to not only protect you, but train you to protect yourself!"

The bitch grabbed my pain-shuddering arms, and pulled me to a sitting position, my chair now wobbly with only three legs.

"Sesshomaru _denied_ that he was connected to you!" She mocked. "For your protection, he covered his tracks when he visited Japan, and had iron-clad alibis so I couldn't see through his demeanor. But I knew from the moment he met you, he was lying. Such a terrible liar..." Her feminine hand lurched forward, and landed a punch on my right cheek. My teeth bit my cheek, and blood spat from my mouth.

I coughed in strangled rhythms, red liquid burning as it dripped from my lips. I shut my eyes against the different areas of pain screaming at me, and even through it all I could still sense Kagura's aura standing in front of me.

"But with you in the picture, Sesshomaru wouldn't become mine! There would be no way he would bed another female! And I would have to suffer for eternity, with a sick, beating, raping bastard! I couldn't have that... so I decided to kill you. Half way through my plan, I was surprised to find that Naraku truly had an interest in you. He even had a double created."

She pretended to be sad, "Too bad I thought it was you, and killed his innocent hanyou creation."

My hazy eyes shot open in shock, as cold realization hit me square on.

_Between the crowded figures, a person was lying deathly still on the ambulance stretcher. Not just any mere Japanese woman, but one that had a similar hair cut to mine__—__the same shaped glossy lips__—__cloned aqua blue sequin shirt__—__and frightening twin-like facial structure._

_The only thing we didn't share in common was the large bullet hole between her closed eyes._

"Oh, he was so mad at me." She babyishly pouted her full red lips. "I just didn't realize that the cyanide I had been earlier handling, was still lingering on my fingers. And then one second he's ripping off my limbs and eating them, then he's on the floor." Horror constricted my airflow, and I raised my undamaged hand to my cut cheek. Kagura's teeth glinted with macabre in the light, "I think I got some on you too."

Her expression became innocent and startled, "Whoops."

I didn't hear her.

Foam gurgled at the corners of my mouth, as deep shudders violently shook me. My bleeding hand twitched madly, as my chest jerked forward and fell back against the chair. Curdles of fear screamed through my clenched teeth, and Kagome shouted for help until her voice became rough and strangled with drenched hope.

Kagura stood above me like a goddess of destruction.

"But now that Naraku is dead, Sesshomaru too, and you're on your way out; I'm free to take Sesshomaru's company and fortune, since I am his _mate_."

My eyes swirled madly in my skull, as the chemical burned in and up through my veins.

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a/n:

THANK YOU for all those reviews! Wow! I'm **extremely sorry** for the long wait, I had a family member that was suddenly hospitalized in a city a few hours away-I quit my old after-school job because my boss was a sexual-harassing asshole (excuse my _French_)-I've been working on portfolio stuff for my Post Secondary school admission- and I've been trying to keep my sanity while my parents renovate parts of our house.

And my little sister took my laptop to her summer camp, and couldn't find a decent signal to send me the chapter file!

Urg.

I hope you're still enjoying my story, and if so, **please** do **review**! And a special thank you for my sudden and new beta reader (thank you!!!) Sangoworshiper! :D

The story will be finished in only THREE more chapters! And now, for a few questions that seem to be piling up:

**Q:** _So apart from her eyes being able to see with the youkai energy, what else can she do?_

**A:** You might have noticed by now, she can use youkai energy/aura to see. But she can also use it to _see_ their auras with her eyes closed. So that helps her out when she's out and about kicking butt, and it's too dark out to see properly. Other than that.. nothing much really, it's pretty limited. But as to _why_ she can do all this.. you'll have to wait until the end, sorry ;)

**Q: **_Anyway, I wonder how Rin gets tortured and captured (?) in the first chapter. Sesshomaru is so protective of her._

**A: **That will be answered in the next chapter ;)

Once more, thank you for reviewing!

Ja ne


	6. U

_Eat You Up

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Summary:

**She's fierce, a respected Yakuza member. And yet forced to stay behind, playing nurse for an arrogant inuyoukai? With someone trying to kill her and being suddenly 'imprinted'- Rin doesn't what's worse: forced to love Sesshomaru, or being assassinated.**

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_Quick __vocal:_

* Genmaicha _[__Is comprised of sencha green tea blended with roasted brown rice. The dry tea leaves are dark green and slender accompanied with brown rice kernels and puff rice. Tea steeped from these tea leaves has a light yellow hue. The taste is pleasant with a hint of roasted rice and a mild aftertaste. The aroma is a light scent of freshness and roasted rice.__]_

* SMG _[SubMachine Gun, __is a __firearm__ that combines the __automatic fire__ of a __machine gun__ with the __cartridge__ of a __pistol__.__]_

*_Italics_= If the words are in _italics_ then this is what Rin's mind is saying. If the italics are centered in the middle of the page, then they are flashbacks. Sorry, if this causes confusion. There are going to be A LOT of flashbacks from here on till the end.

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It felt like someone was grabbing parts of my body, making them lurch or kick wildly, as if I was being operated like a machine. I shuddered violently in my chair, my face grating against the cold floor, trying to find another pain to counter-activate the acid sizzling in my blood. While I physically thrashed savagely, my internal battle was a screaming match. I refused to give in. My jaw was excruciatingly sore as my mind yelled at me. I couldn't give in. I would _not_ allow myself to die! I HAVE TO KEEP FIGHTING, KEEP BREATHING! DON"T YOU BACK DOWN, RIN! SOMEONE WILL COME SAVE US SOON! SOMEONE WILL SAVE US!

I couldn't even feel the hot, furious tears streaking horizontally down my anguished face. Who would save me? More importantly.. who did I want to save me?

"_I will _not_ tolerate__ my mate injured in any way; you are to remain in _perfect condition_!"_

Thousands of tiny bubbles foamed out from my mouth. The poison wrung out my bruised body, and thinned out my human blood. My vision began to fade, convulses coming quicker. I shut my eyes briefly, and tried to think of how the fuck I was to get out of this mess. Kagome's distant cries were becoming distorted and muffled, giving me no peace of mind as my body shut down. My bleeding hand writhed with the stronger rhythm— twitching so hard, I never felt the building quake. I heard a sudden scramble of heeled shoes, and a quick mumble of swears. Pain erupted in my lower neck, forcing my strained muscles to crank my head backward, almost smashing my head through the back of the chair.

The floor beneath my feet vibrated.

Explosives.

"Rin, hold on! They're coming, _hold on_!" Kagome sobbed somewhere in the room.

My eyesight became suddenly pin pricked, like entering a pitch-black tunnel.. I felt blood run out my ears. The cyanide was killing off my brain cells. My head jerked disorderly, causing Kagome to shriek louder for our rescuers. The clamorous _smack_s of their feet coming up the stairs were like a large brass drum in my injured ears. My face twisted into merciless agony, the vibrations of sound around me echoed a thousand-fold, and I had a growing inhuman urge to claw off my ears. Just like a fox's paw crushed in a hunters trap, I morbidly wanted to chew off the flesh shells on the side of my head, to become free of this torment.

"INUYASHA! SOMEONE! WE'RE IN HERE!"

The door smashed open, a gust of wind and wood splinters smacking into my face. Between the loud turbulence in my ear canal, I made out muted voices conversing in frantic tones. I wish I could've moved my cement-filled arms, tell them to help me. Couldn't they see I was fading? I inhaled roughly, the pinching and compression of my lungs, make the breath short. There was a sudden jerking movement around my left arm; someone was ripping off my shirt sleeve. The familiar sound of ripping fabric had my heart alight, and I ignored the blood-curdling throbbing inside my brain. There was a stifled shriek of a chair being moved frantically— my world drunkenly swirled, as I was forced upright.

"Cyanide. She smells like bitter almonds.." Two fingers pressed against my neck, "—entry through the cut on her face."

"— wash her—?"

"LET ME—!" A warm electric feeling sizzled across my face. Kagome was healing me. Soft sighs escaped my puzzle-piece chapped lips, as the different torments in my body slowly washed away. Goose bumps filtered over my skin. Two hands cupped my heated face, "Rin?"

"Y-yes?" I slurred happily, filled with ease. A sob bubbled through feminine vocal cords, as the owner wrapped her arms around me. "You scared me!" She blubbered. "What if I wasn't there— !"

"_How disgusting_."

The room became grimly silent.

My eyelashes flickered open. Dark walls of figures were surrounding our little party. I was slightly surprised to not see Kagome standing in front of me, defending my injured form. But the subtle heat forming in my chest let me know that it was okay she wasn't. In front, a silver-haired man slowly crouched down, a loud ripping sound coming from his demonic throat. His hair was long but matted and tangled.. as if he'd run the whole way here.

Deep down, beneath piles of rage and anguish, this wasn't the voice I wanted to hear. "Don't think you can just waltz back in here, after all that you've done!" The Inuyasha snarled loudly. He reminded me of those dogs tied up in the front of its owner's house, snapping wildly, announcing it was protecting someone it loved. He stood out of his defensive crouch, "First you kidnap my pregnant wife, and then try to kill my sister in law? _Prepare to be fucking slaughtered, Kagura!"_

She was poised upside-down above everyone, twenty feet out of reach, her long hair a hanging icicle. A long swan feather was beneath her kneeled form, and appeared to have her glued to its glossy texture. The floating transportation seemed to move slightly when her fingers holding its sides, barely twitched. No wonder no one had first seen her; she had been watching us from above. Her eerie smile had a sickening feeling of its own. "Big words, for such a small hanyou. But why are _you_ protecting Takamira?" Her voice purred.

My eyes dilated.

"_But now that Naraku is dead, Sesshomaru too, and you're on your way out; I'm free to take Sesshomaru's company and fortune, since I am his __mate__."_

"Where's your big brother, Inuyasha.. Where _is_ Sesshomaru?" She laughed.

"He's on his fucking way!" He snapped, his feet inching slightly forward. Those morphine fingers of mine, tried to reach out and grab the back of his shirt… but ended up against the floor, pushing me to knees. I obviously had a death wish. Kagome shot me an alarmed look, as I straightened out onto my wary feet. Eyes of the others latched onto me, as I saw Inuyasha turn his head slightly towards me, and give a warning growl. Standing my ground, I took careful steps through the Gizena, and stood in front of Inuyasha. Bright red youkai eyes followed my every move, each muscle that stretched and pulled, and even the single drop of blood that fell from my impaled hand. "I know that you don't want to fight them." My rough voice ground out. "I know you only want me."

"You're very self-centered, for such a small girl." She grinned. "But I'm glad you're taking responsibility."

I held my tongue, as a snarl of nasty words urged to spill from my mouth. Being a bitch in this situation wouldn't help anyone. "So how do you want to do this?" I drawled. My newly healed head was buzzing nosily, and my hand was tingling to wrap around her pretty neck. "How would you like to kill me?"

Her grin spread.

An explosion of glass erupted loudly on the right, sending out a fury of screams and yells. I didn't get my arm up in time to block the blast—a large shard of glass slivered into my cheek. The large gust of shards collided into everything within the room, and with no where to go, everyone was hit.

The alarming scent and sight of blood everywhere, had my eyes seeing red. Flashing my eyes back up to Kagura, I quickly realized she had vanished. Bolting to the broken window, my hands grating against the razor edges, I saw a sleek white disk fading in the distance— heading toward a home district. Seething, I left the window to turn back into the room. Some were still dazed by the blast, while others were checking their petty wounds. It was now or never. Snatching up a few dropped guns, I rushed from the room. Taking each landing at a time, I jumped over the jagged stairs, intent on the bitch's death. One of my hands gripped the long shard in my cheek, which had made its ways through into my mouth, and threw it over the railing.

Shouldering open the broken doors, mixed in between the hazardously parked vehicles, I was astonished to see my charcoal motorcycle sparkling in the rain. Not only did I no longer have to steal an engine, but also my baby had my SMG's in the side pack. Sweet Jesus. Instantly revving up my MV Agusta F4 RR, I tail-spun in the mud and squealed onto the wet highway. The cold rain and harsh wind hurt my eyes, and it was becoming excruciatingly hard to keep track of Kagura's floating transportation. Fuck, I hope that bitch was soaking wet too. Weaving in between honking cars, and large semi-trucks, I turned off onto an exit route. Blurred vegetation around me thinned as I sped along, my arm sometimes attempting to block out the rain falling like needles onto my face.

With my eyes keeping track of Kagura's retarded feather-mobile, and my peripherals on the watery pavement, my feelings took another direction.

What was I going to do when I exterminated her? The family was on wary ground—Kagome could've miscarried, members were injured, our Gizena security was obviously shaky, and Sesshomaru.. I felt myself gasp sharply. An unnatural sting circled around my dim eyesight, and I clamped my teeth down together to keep myself steady. But it didn't help the troubled emotions raging inside my body.

Why.. would she feed me lies of Sesshomaru being imprinted to me, when she openly admitted to the world that she was to marry him? He lied, she lied.. Sesshomaru had truly been with Kagura; wanted this sadistic bitch. And yes, she was fucking gorgeous, rich, and completely mother-fucking insane. What a perfect fit. And apparently he died while bedding the whore. Good! He was really going to hate me when I was through with her!

I tried to ignore the tight ball in my throat, the moisture in my eyes, and even the thoughts that demanded attention in my head. He'd been so disgusted in my human heritage; he mated with _Kagura Otsu_.

And now he was dead.

I inhaled sharply, a past conversation slipping into my mind.

_Izayoi had said, that an imprinted pair was deeply connected.. as in, no matter how much he hated me, Sesshomaru would __kill __himself if I died._

But now.. would _I _die?

Bright headlights flooded from my back, and my head spun around in astonishment— just in time for the black sedan to rev close enough to my tailpipe. My teeth gritted nastily, and I could feel the painful pressure it created suddenly. What was with everyone trying to get a piece of me today? I've had enough bullshit for today! They sure as hell weren't going to kill me until I maimed that bitch!

And that's how the resolution started, as I spun my bike around, reverse in high while the bike still rolled forward. Nothing was going to end my life, until I finished off Kagura. My hand dipped quickly into my satchel, the moment I forced my baby to drive over top of my unlucky hit-man's car, plucking the pin from a grenade. My back tire popped the front window, and that pretty little bomb fell right through the glass. I was on the pavement within seconds, making a noisy u-turn through heavy traffic, and racing up the stream of metal cars and trucks. I faintly heard the colorful explosion as I followed up and over the highways bridge.

There was a reason why I was Japan's top yakuza woman.

Orange pylons and warning signs flew by repeatedly, like neon trees, barely two feet from another on the shoulder. Of course she'd pick here of all places.. it was a huge family condo construction area, with a busy highway on the side, and tall metal structures and towering machinery. She wanted to end me in a bloody heap of skin and bones. And she could have her wish eventually.. but she was going first.

Swiftly cutting across the traffic, barely scraping by a red van, I exhilarated through the thin metal gates, ducking my head beneath the small windshield. The criss-crossed gateway busted open, the thick security chain swinging pathetically to the mud. I braked in time, a few centimeters from a wide cement wall. I left my keys in the dead ignition— some lucky kid could have my bike.

I dug through the side sack instantly, taking out two wet SMG's, a few rounds, a knife, and the last grenade. I guess I'd have to improvise with some working equipment if I ran out. I could hardly contain my excited smile, the vision of taking a demolition ball through Kagura's head. Swinging the straps of the guns onto my shoulders, I stuffed my ammunition into my bra, and placed the others in my front pockets. My dark hair was glued to my pale skin, just like my roughed up clothing. I was most definitely going to get sick. Looking around me, I saw half of the building (judging by the advertisement artist picture) was finished in planks and steel skeletons, and that if I was going to find her before she got me.. I was going to have to get near the courtyard area of the structure. Silently, as the gooey mud would allow me, I streaked from out behind the cement wall that swooped around the building, and headed for the large tower crane. Shifting behind one of the four-pronged base legs, I caught my breath, and looked for my next hiding place.

The rain was an omen from god, as it poured down from the gnarled grey clouds, because it washed away my human scent. Looking around the randomly dropped cement planks and steel H-shaped rods, I noticed a partially covered cement basement— perfect. Gripping the thick side of the long open-box like basement, I swung myself over and landed on the toes of my boots; the mud would leave obvious tracks.

A muffled high-pitched squeal filled the spacious building. Snapping my head up, I felt the _whoosh_ of my only air supply escape.

A bundle of steal studs raining down from the second level.. aimed for me.

Bolting for the end of the cement basement, I dived into the corner, narrowly escaping the jumping steel as it crashed into the ground. I rolled onto my back, my eyes wide with astonishment. "_Riiin_." A disturbed voice crooned from above. "Don't you want to play with me?" She had one arm curved around a steal beam, the other reaching out to me, from four floors above, her fingers curling in an invitation.

"I'd rather not _play_." I hissed up at her, my dull nails scraping across the pavement.

She pretended to pout, the way she did to look cute in her films. Attention whore. Ignoring her, I got to my feet and analyzed my surroundings, mocking her. Realizing I was not watching her, she sneered and bared her teeth. Her angry hiss echoed around me. "I'm going to kill you, Rin. Just because that human whore managed to heal you, doesn't mean I can't deal you another dosage." She smiled insanely, nerving me to my core. What the fuck was wrong with this woman? "After all," She continued. "That's how I got a hold of Sesshomaru."

"As if you could injure him." I laughed, bluffing her. But I remembered how I first met him, saw how bloodied up he was in Izayoi's foyer.. "As if you could touch him."

Her sickening grin spread even further. "My dear, it wasn't _me_ that was the first to touch."

Nausea filled my stomach.

That bitch held her head so high, talking shit that I knew wasn't a lie, yet I couldn't help but aim my gun at her throat. I ignored the anger that her words had done to me; that wasn't why I was fingering the trigger, and imaging her black brains across the walls..

The first SMG bullet missed, while the second put a hole in her pointed ear.

I heard her hiss angrily at me, while she suddenly vanished from my sight. My lips curved graciously. So this was how it was going to end? A game of cat and mouse? Human against youkai? I slid a round into my other SMG, smiling like this was all a silly joke. "Come here, Kagura. Let me match your ears." I called, slowly walking up the cement steps off to the side. "I'll make sure you look pretty when I'm done.."

Looking back to the entrance of the lot, I eyed the tower crane with more appreciation. Slinging the SMG back around my shoulder blade, I sprinted to the crane, and ran four feet up the structure. Grasping one of the crossed metal beams, I climbed the awkward staircase, one angled step at a time. My makeshift ladder began to slope towards the building, and my wet hair began to gravitate towards the earth as I continued my climbing. Around the halfway peak, mere seconds after I had first started up the tower, I held on with one hand and turned towards the skeleton building. After a quick scan, Kagura no where in sight, I twisted my body around. Breathing a little faster, I committed myself to making my landing on the thin H-beam hanging out from the structure. I knew this would be harder than normal, due to the weather, and the fact I was running on pure anger.

Forcing my foggy eyes to stay open, I jumped into the downpour.

I managed to painfully grip the beam, but my feet weren't as lucky as they hydroplaned off the metal, and swung off. I was literally hanging by my own arms. For a girl who has average time with chin-ups, this wasn't the best position. Gritting my teeth, I got one leg around the H-beam, while the other struggled to follow suit. Getting to my feet, I walked the thin metal piece like a trapeze artist. Instantly upon arriving at the joint where the metal reached the full structure, I pulled around my machine gun.

Only for it to be thrown to the floor.

Spinning around, my hair filtering in my dimming eyesight, a beautiful woman faced me. Before I could reach the other SMG, she ripped the gun from me, and threw it over the edge. I still couldn't describe the bright, ruby, color her blood-lusted eyes were.."I see that you can't properly use your eyes anymore." She spoke.

I backpedaled, fingering the dagger in my pocket— Her heeled foot jabbed into my already punctured hand, and crushed the sharp blade against my palm. Hissing, I swung my leg up and smacked it into her face, before she could turn and run. Blood spat from her mouth. She held her stance a few meters from me, a pale hand brushing quickly across her cut lips. "I know you can't steal youkai aura from me. This is why you can't use your eyes." She smirked. "I am a demon." Kagura laughed, "But I'm that _hanyou's _creation."

I stared at her, confused, and playing up my expression.

"I'm made from thousands of different parts of feeble, weak, youkai. All shaped together and altered, to create me. And because of this, I was not given a heart." She spoke, almost mocking herself. "Oh, Naraku promised to give me a heart. And with each little duty I preformed well upon, he gave me a piece of it. But like a drug, I wanted more.. and I wanted until I found something else quite desirable."

_Sesshomaru._

"And now that things have.. turned out more differently than I planned, I must _cut off_ all the things in my way." She grinned, her smile splitting from ear to ear.

Literally.

Thousands of demonic sharp needle teeth.. Her voice became rougher, monstrous. "You should congratulate me." She laughed heavily, walking towards me with awing grace. "Thank you, for what?" I snarled, my spine turning to steel. "You've tried to kill anyone linked to me!"

"I'm sorry." She coyly played. "But you must blame the mood swings."

It was going to take the Jaws of Life, to pry me from this oncoming mental wrecking ball.

"No.." I spoke, my voice hitched.

"Oh yes.." She purred, coming closer. "Two weeks along."

_No…_

I gasped, my blurry eyes snapping up to her red hues. It felt like someone had speared me through my chest. She prowled closer to me, her hips sultrily swinging back and forth, as the pain pierced through my torso repeatedly.

"That's right.. I'm pregnant."

I blinked heavily, as if trying to dislodge the unbearable truth. Sharp inhales dragged down my throat, becoming quicker and heavier than the last. _No.. _My heart stuttered, _He's supposed to love us! _But not even my head could get a grip on this internal confession, for the corrosive agony was eating away at my body. A monstrous smile over-took Kagura's painted lips, just as her inhuman strength kicked my body off the fourth story floor.

I couldn't hear the wind whistling violently past my ears, couldn't see through the haze while my hair swam around my broken expression, nor the way tears erupted from my damaged eyes. My world took beautifully to the darkness, as I collided nauseatingly with the basement's cement ground. Numbness exploded from my toes, and stayed below my hips.. I had been paralyzed from the waist down. Sobs bubbled through my chapped lips, my eyes closed in scrunched agony. My mouth twisted back in devastated torment, as her words burned more deeply than my physical state.

There was a soft _click_ from behind me— Kagura had jumped down to the ground floor. Her heels continued to click as she walked around to my front. A kaleidoscope of water glittered in my wet eyes, as her beautiful demonic features twisted in my vision. "Dear, oh dear." She murmured, her voice not matching her sad words. Slowly, she lifted her left foot, and placed it on my left side. She gently sunk down slightly, and gripped a handful on my thick hair. Making sure she had a sturdy amount, with a tug or two, Kagura dragged me until my cold back was against a wall.

She wanted me to see her.

Still standing above me, Kagura gave me her favorite actress smile, as she patted her stomach lightly.

"Sesshoumaru's the father."

It was like a battering ram to the side of my head.

Abruptly, a sleek metal sword appeared from her side, and sunk into my throbbing chest.

"_Rin.." She began. "You've been a member in this Gizena and family for over what.. five years? And you don't know where our demon weapons and defensive suits come from? Apart from our older weapons, all metal materials and weapons are made by Sesshomaru's company. He specializes mainly in demonic industrial swords, so he's targeted by many people for his wealth and skilled weaponry."_

All our weaponry was covered in venom._  
_

My heart softly drummed, waiting for the poison to sink in. I opened my mouth to retaliate at Kagura's skills, but the second my lips parted, tears gushed from my eyes. My chest collapsed together painfully, under the weight of the cement block thrown on top of me. I was surprised it didn't amputate my dead legs, or that I wasn't a bloody smear on the pavement yet.

"Pitiful, and fragile; you might as well be dead."

A baby soft, piano keyed lullaby, pattered through my head as rain began to splatter onto my face. Like a sad funeral song. My thick eyelashes fluttered slowly in response. I pulled back the hair from my face, the thick tresses tangling in my fingers. I let out a strangled sigh, emotion thick in my throat. My hands captured my eyes. Thick matted blood clung to the young creases of my palms. I laughed pathetically, with frustration and self-pity.

_Why_?

"Finally learning your place, you _blind _whore?"

My opaque eyes flickered up to the voice. Even from my seat, I could tell she was taller than she appeared on television. Her dark, ruby eyes, glittered with obvious macabre. Thin, stringy hair fell from her crown, the rain dripping off and onto my pale face. Her blunt industrial sword in her demonic hands twinkled with my human blood. Fierce shots of pain continuously exploded from my stomach. My bloodied hands held my abdomen, where a blade had carved its way through, leaving a gaping hole. It was obvious I wasn't lucky twice. I wouldn't survive this time.

But, as I stared up into those slut's eyes, my own glaring back at her, I wondered if I was going to go down this way? Instantaneously, my body responded angrily, jerking my lifeless legs—

My heart stuttered into a bizarre strangled pulse.

I could barely gasp.

One after another, _pain_ like heavy hammers, punched my dying heart. I cried out in agonizing torture, my fingers fisting at the leather over my heart. Another drum-like pulse hit my ribcage, _hard_**.** I fell onto my front, my head cracked against the asphalt. Once more, not even a millisecond after the second, a more gut-wrenching feeling ripped inside me. This one had my lips and teeth scraping against the cement, as I screamed in blinding white-hot agony.

If someone said, this is how an orphaned girl, was going to die—I would've punched them in the face. But, if that someone had continued on to say, that the last name I spoke, would be _his_.. I would've slaughtered them. Even with my sore-throat, convulsing body, hole in my stomach, and lachrymose soaked lips, I managed to fulfill one last bloody cry. One last devastated word; I swore to never again repeat.

"_SESSHOMARU!__"_

My heart thudded deeply— sending my eyes into darkness. I felt my body slump onto the ground, my swollen cheek grazing the rough pavement. The world became murky and dim. I could see or hear anything. My mind must have blown a socket.

And yet I relaxed in this environment, peace and warmth flooding my tangled limbs.

Warmth that grew into iron-hot rage.

A snarling gasp whirled down my throat, in the same second my eyelids snapped open painfully. My mind buzzed like a nest of angry bees, awakening me to the real world. I could only make out the black pavement and dark navy sky. The angry heat flooded and poured through the pours of my body, alerting me that in way I knew this was not _my_ temper.

Loud shrieks filled the damp air, make my teeth throb painfully, and my eyes seal shut. The wind was howling, almost screaming.

It was so loud..

The nocturnal world blanketed over me again, muffling the outrageous shrieks of the wind. This was so incredibly ambrosial, I couldn't compare the sensations and emotions it soaked into me. Here there were no worries, no bloodshed or warfare, not even those annoying everyday life people. There was nothing but darkness and bliss.

No heartache.

Was this death?

If it was, I was ready for it—

"_Hi, I'm Kagome!"_

An unnerved breath stilled in my chest.

"_You sure are scrawny for a sixteen year old."_

"_INUYASHA! Be nice!"_

My breath quickened.

A flash of bright green light glowed from my closed eyelids. An acid green.. I tried to calm my breathing, as my lungs began to panic, the lights and voices alerting my adrenaline. Why was I getting a life re-run? I hated dramas, especially the ones when you never wanted to experience again. Why was death so complicated? I had cheated it so many times already, couldn't it just save all the over sensitive parts for someone else? I didn't think I could handle the best times in my time.. knowing the worst ones were killing me slowly.

"_You can't live in a hospital, Rin."_

"_.. But I don't have any other relatives."_

"_I already think of you as my daughter.."_

"_What he means, Rin, is that we love you. And we already have a bedroom for you. I know I cannot replace your mother.. but I would love the opportunity to be a mother to you. Sweetheart, please say you'll come live with us."_

My breathing stalled like an over-worked engine. I was leaving. Knowing what was coming, I tried to ignore the voices crystal-clear in my head.

"_You got me a motorcycle for my birthday! Really?"_

Distant murky voices yelled and screamed beyond this world, and the sensations of bulges and dips curved my body in odd ways. Like I was being carried. I panicked. I was supposed to be dying, not having people save me!

"_Rin.. We will train you, but only if you want us to—"_

"_I don't want to be a burden or a weakness for you! I will become strong!"_

I wanted to leave already!

LET ME GO!

"_I'll race you, Inuyasha!"_

"_You're on, brat."_

A sensation bubbled in my throat.

"_Who's that?"_

"_That's Sesshomaru. He's Inuyasha's step-brother—"_

_I cough heavily, bloo_d _sprayi_ng f_rom _my mouth.

The world flashed into my eyes, swirling nastily as my eyes tried to comprehend the space around me.

My vision thudded deeply with my pained heartbeats, swaying heavily like stones caught in a strong ocean wave. The hairs on my skin were sticking up, and they acted like white-hot wires prodding my body— curdles of my bloody cries echoed the room. I could barely hear the others screaming and yelling, see the red-covered people above me. My body trembled viciously against the hard surface I was laying on. Despite my poor eyesight, my drugged eyes swung around in my skull, until they saw what was prodding my skin.

A hospital IV.

This could be used for someone.. save a life. Gritting my bloody teeth, I reached over quickly, and yanked out the needle. An annoying beeping siren went off, and all attention focused on me. They forced my body to lay back down, accept the medication shooting into my blood stream, and the material being wrapped around my broken leg. Bile scratched my throat, when my curious eyes peeked over my red shirt and down to the bone poking through—

A loud noise echoed in my ears, like a fist punching a metal car door, repeatedly smashing through the frenzied room. My vision became spotted with black dots, swirling nastily above my pupils.

Instead of vomiting at the sight of my leg, I went into convulses.

"-someone hold down her head!"

"Strap down her limps, she convulsing!"

I was dying, my body thrashing. My skin, my bones, my organs.. wished to live. While I did not. I welcomed this pain. This beautiful agony was much nicer, sweeter, than the torture my broken heart still throbbed out.

So, I smashed my skull harder against the metal surgical table.

_I want to die._

"WHERE THE FUCK IS SESSHOMARU?"

"He found her— Kagura Otsu! Jakotsu's disposing the body—!"

_Someone had finished her off.. _

_I have to keep my promise._

"Rin's heart is dropping—!"

"She's trying to kill herself!"

"—STOP HER!"

"We can't.." Whispered a broken voice, throughout all the mess.

_Please, just let me go._

The person holding my right hand down was surprised by the new voice, and my wrist became loose in their grasp. I shot it directly to my throat. My bloodied hand curved tightly around my neck, I squeezed and ground my nails into my windpipe. No one could release my determined grip. "On her form." InuTashio continued, pain cutting through his words. "She's asked to not be resuscitated."

"BUT IT DIDN'T INCLUDE ALLOWING HER TO KILL HERSELF!" I could hear Inuyasha bellow from beside me.

I gasped—my eyes shot directly up to see Inuyasha's white tresses beside me..

_His long silver hair was tied into a small bunch, which hung limply over his shoulder. No longer were his eyes dark with violence, but molten amber, with.._

My nails pushed deeper into my throat, sharply cutting off my hot tears, and I could feel a different warmth pool against my fingertips. But I still couldn't stop the pain that was destroying me from inside. My heart screamed for life, while my hand plotted my demise. Then the world was stuck on fast forward. There was the sound of doors being smashed open, and I could feel that familiar pulse of power being sucked into my veins. My milky eyes flashed open, and the center of my iris cleared, showing some of my original cinnamon color. There was another sudden sound of violent ruckus, and my vision became more defined, like smearing fog off a car window.

_NO!_

He was here.

Alive.

_"Sesshomaru's the father."_

I shot my iron-strong fingers through my neck, my fingertips grasping around taunt muscles and bloody flesh.

All I saw was red, as an unearthly demonic howl shook the room.

Chairs hit the sides of the rooms angrily, bursting into splinters of wood and metal. Another inhuman roar pulsed through the air, in time with bodies being thrown across the room, and machines sparking magnificently in the cold air. The single light brightening the room, swung sharply, as the building shifted with the new company. The sounds were too intense for my ears, that they started to become molded into a ringing silence. But I didn't have to hear where and who this destruction was coming from.. for the power sizzling in my gushing blood, knew.

Even if I couldn't hear his voice, I knew he'd be right beside me.

_Waiting for my last breath.._

My vision fluttered with darkness, light a child playing with a light switch. Large hands began doing compressions against my stalling heart. I could feel the odd rumble of my mutated laughter within my chest, upon realizing he couldn't save me now. Why would he want to save me? He loved Kagura.. maybe enough to revive me and then kill me again? Red eyes with sky-blue pupils filled my sight.

_It's too late._

Hot blood trickled from the corners of my mouth, when my muscles barely managed to pull up a heartbroken, mocking smile. I tried to ignore the clawed shaking hands, cupping my dirty cheeks— And the sight of a broken man's gasping breaths.

But why was he comforting me as I departed? Some sort of sick pleasure?

I didn't care… but my heart did. My pathetic, waste of space, organ.. was _screaming_ at me.

Telling me I was a fool.

_Then let us die a fool._

I laughed, red spitting from my lips—a fountain of blood spurted from my mouth.

Flames erupted from my chest, and my spine arched high, as my hearts remaining agonized pulses echoed throughout my shell. I could feel thousands of hands scurry over my body, needles poke through my skin, cloths press closer against my neck, a mask cover my face, and two electric paddles hit my chest with urgency—

"_Where is he now?" I whispered, my throat sore from sleep._

"_He left a month ago, just before your fami—"_

—Blood pooled in my open throat—

_It was like a car crash._

_When his golden eyes collided with mine, I felt like one of those millions of unnamed deer staring into twin headlights on a dark road.. When the impact hit, everything, from my goose bumped skin, to my illogical thoughts, went through my body. And they collided, so __beautifully__ with him, sinking into him like mashed bits of metal car scraps. Going in so deep, no type of doctor could fix the injury. _

—Screaming and distraught sobs filled the air—

"_I hate you." I declared, my heart slightly wavering._

—The chest compressions quickened—

_I opened my chapped lips to retaliate in some form— but his sharp canines bore at my physical rebuke. Acidic words burned through his perfect teeth. "Do not dare to __ever __participate in a match again, despite how pathetic each side is. I will __not tolerate__ my mate injured in any way; you are to remain in __perfect __condition__!" He snarled, his teeth baring closer to my face._

—My vision started to fade—

_Who knew, I liked black coffee?_

_Usually when someone made a pot in the morning, people just assumed I like a cream and two sugars—like everyone else in the world. I never would refuse a cup of the delicious stuff, so I never said anything.. Scrutinizing the suddenly offending drink, I shied my head to the side slightly—until the growing light caught its dark surface. My cold hands clasped around the strong coffee, and I inhaled the life-giving liquid._

_I was too busy with my intoxicating drink, that I completely dismissed the odd scent of star anise on it's porcelain handle.._

—No longer could I hear anything around me—

_My eyes were glued to Kagome, as she explained further. "It was getting out of hand, we even had to call back up—and then he kept saying something in a demonic tone, something about mint and genmaicha." She laughed and rubbed the bridge between her eyes. "By the time we realized what he smelled, I had already dialed your cell."_

"_He smelt me?" I gapped. "He knew who I was just by my scent?"_

_Kagome smiled briefly, "Yes, even by anothers scent, an imprinted youkai can figure out that it belongs to someone important to them—but not well enough, to know it's their future mate."_

The machines screeched..

_The family-heirloom silver hair was tied tightly at the nape of his neck. Those golden eyes I had come to hate, were hidden by dark shades that highlighted his high cheeks. Those beautifully cruel lips were curved angrily, the points of his fangs peaking through. His loud growl echoed._

"_Rin."_

… my lifeless body slumped onto the cold table.

* * *

a/n:

Um. Don't kill me.

But, _please_, review.

I'm sorry for the wait. I've been ridiculously sick here in Canada, off and on. Plus my town had a panic attack when a few people apparently had "swine flu" (H1N1), so my mom made me go to the hospital and what not, urgh. All I can say is that a plastic bucket has been my companion the past few weeks. And when you're sick, well for me anyway, there's no chance in hell that I was going to drag my heavy laptop to my lap, and try finishing this chapter. Anyway..

I wanted to post this chapter about two days ago, but I also wanted to post the next chapter as well— and so I checked them over.. and kept adding things, lol. Plus it was Thanksgiving Day here in Canada.. Sorry for the wait.


	7. U P

_Eat You Up

* * *

_

Summary:

**She's fierce, a respected Yakuza member. And yet forced to stay behind, playing nurse for an arrogant inuyoukai? With someone trying to kill her and being suddenly 'imprinted'- Rin doesn't what's worse: forced to love Sesshomaru, or being assassinated.

* * *

**

_Familiar chubby fingers danced in front of my eyes, as a young voice called out._

"_Mommy, look, the sand is sticking to me!" I squeaked happily, my three-year-old tone, twittering away. Similar warm eyes glowed from the park bench, from a beautiful woman holding a struggling baby boy. "That's because you just ate ice cream, Rin." She laughed. "Come here, and I'll clean your hands, sweetheart!"_

_Ignoring my mother's voice, my large eyes gazed in wonder at the sandbox particles all over my skin. It was amazing how pretty the beige grains looked against my sticky pink fingers. I giggled again. Despite the warm summer day and cloudless blue sky, a heavy gust of wind suddenly pushed through the childrens playground. Gaping slightly as my cinnamon eyes noticed my short hair swirling around me, I shifted my head so I could look behind me for the culprit. Only large billows of green trees and vast space of green grass faced me. Blinking, holding my posture, I continued to wait for the criminal._

_A pout formed on my face when nothing happened. But just as I started to twist back around, a glimmer caught my eye. Instantly I was on my wobbly feet and headed for the sparkle from the tree. It might have been a ray from the sun, but knowing myself well, I would further investigate._

_Mother was too preoccupied with my brother to notice my quick departure._

_Although I had been sitting in the sun, the closer I got to the tall tree, the warmer my skin felt—as did the feeling of invisible hands pushing me closer._

_Twined like a ribbon around a present, a single thread of white was around the budding sakura flowers._

_Was it silk?_

_My small fingers twisted the silver string watching as it shimmered when the sun caught it. It was really beautiful.._

"_Eww, Rin, put that down! Germs, sweetheart!"

* * *

_

"_RIN!"_

_A loud clap of thunder rolled out from the trees, as the hard rain pelted my new jacket. Mom swooped me up into her arms, and rushed me back into the house. Her eyes were wide and dilated, and her black hair a bird's nest. She slammed the patio glass door shut. "Sweetheart!" She breathed loudly, a mix of fright and strangled tones. "You can't make mud pies today! And never ever go outside with mommy! You're only four, sweetheart!"_

"_But mum!" I whined, "It's just rain!"_

"_It's thundering over top the house." She tried to convince me, stripping off inside-out coat._

"_That thunder sounded diff-rent. It sounded like a growl." I pouted._

"_All storms all the same, Rin. They're dangerous."

* * *

_

_I pushed the yellow plastic taxicab across my bare legs, making car noises as it screeched loudly over my knee and dived to the bamboo floor in a loudly exaggerated explosion. I rolled around on the floor in my pajama shirt and shorts, giggling as I tried making fake dying sounds._

_Slowly shifting onto my back, my head slightly resting on my favorite teddy bear, a small yawn escaped my five year old toothy mouth._

_My long eyelashes fluttered softly, as a sudden sweep of fatigue fought its way into my system…_

_A gentle flutter of warm fingers brushed against my chubby cheek, as strong arms lifted me from the cold floor, and into my small twin sized bed. A beautiful spicy scent filled my tired lungs, as those same feathery fingers brought my quilt up to my chin.

* * *

_

"_I dunno, Souta." I murmured, eying the boy as sakura petals rained on us. "I've never had a boyfriend before, and isn't it kinda weird, we're only in third grade?"_

"_It's just a kiss! My sister has known Inu since he was born, and she _always_ kisses him!" The rosy-cheeked boy pouted._

"_Can't we just wait till we're older?" I asked, deep down, desperately wanting this boy to leave me alone. I had just started Mrs. Kitu's third grade class, when this weird little boy glued himself to my side. I honestly had never met his sister, or this person he called 'Inu'. Was his sister dating a dog?_

"_Awe, Rin, common!"_

_I chewed my lip, and darted my eyes up to the blue sky briefly. Maybe if I kissed him, like mom did to dad, when he wanted to buy useless junk, that he'd forget about this stupid fiasco? It was worth a try.._

"_Okay, Souta." I sighed. "You can kiss me."_

"_Kay, close your eyes!" He demanded._

_Sighing in defeat, I tried closing my eyes—but they wouldn't shut completely, just kept fluttering just like when mom tried to put eye drops in my eyes. I was terrified. Between the quick eyelash fluttering, I could see this snot-nosed kid's face coming closer to mine…_

SNAP!

_I screamed as a thick two-foot thick branch dropped right between us. Between my gaping mouth, and hearing Souta run away screaming, I couldn't keep my eyes off the sakura limb. Looking up at the tree briefly, I noticed it wasn't old or damaged, but fairly strong and young.. Crouching down to the huge tree branch, I investigated the end of the stick._

_It had been twisted and pulled off the tree…_

_Intrigue filled me, but I knew better than to linger. I jogged slowly to my house, always taking a glance back at the fallen sakura branch, wonder and curiosity lingering in my head.

* * *

_

_This was my first Halloween out by myself, and even though I thought my outfit was life-like, only one parent didn't share my enthusiasm. I grinned and posed in my black outfit, a plastic star in my hand. My mother gave me a wary look, not giving the response I wanted. "What? It'd be awesome to be a ninja when I grow up!" I sighed, bracing my hands on my hips—copying my mother._

"_Being a ninja isn't really a profession.." She muttered sarcastically._

"_You'd be the prettiest ninja out there, sweetheart!" My dad sweet talked._

"_Don't encourage her!" My mother hissed back, shooting daggers at my father sitting on the stairs with a large grin on his face. Giving a subtle wink at me, he nodded his head towards the open door, "Never mind your mother, Rin, go have fun!"_

"_Rio!" My mother objected._

_But I didn't stop; I took my father's advice and shot out the door with a large empty bag._

_Beautiful orange lanterns filled the street, dancing like paper fireflies of the night. The loud smack of my feet against the ground, was nothing compared to the hundreds of children and parents walking the streets and parks I raced by. A girl dressed in a red dress and a willow basket, stood at a stop sign a few feet in front of me._

_Grinning wildly at Asami, she smiled back.. and then gave a snort of laughter._

"_You're a shinobi?" She grinned. "I see you like to keep the originals alive."_

_Just laughing, I ignored her little comment, and linked arms with her._

"_So, we're going down these first few blocks—?"_

"_TAKAMIRA!"_

_Closing my eyes and giving a quick grimace of annoyance, I turned my head towards the flock of first year, middle-school boys. Of course they were costumed up as American rappers, Gladiators, and bloodied up zombies. I tried to smother my expression, as they came sauntering up to us. Asami tugged on my arm._

"_You're a ninja? How lame!" The first boy, a ridiculous looking _Jay-Z, _smirked._

_Another idiot joined, "Yeah, try to actually be cool for once, Takamira!"_

_Just as I opened my mouth to shoot a comment back, the group laughed loudly and bumped my shoulder roughly, one by one. Their obnoxious laughter rang down the dark road, they flashlights swirling in the night air. Biting my lip, I shook thoughts of me running after them and rubbing their faces in dog—_

_There was soft laughter behind me. Whipping around quickly, my plastic sword held out menacingly… there was no one there. Sheathing my fake katana properly, my eyebrow rose in curiously as I stared at the dark paved road, trees bowed over on both sides._

"_Rin!" Asami called loudly._

_Turning back around, I raced to where she had stopped._

* * *

_I waltzed into the kitchen, my empty orange juice glass between my pancake sticky fingers. Placing my empty cup in the stainless steel sink— what the..? Little.. flowers.. were scattered across the counter on my left. Inching closer, I noticed they were a brown color.. and smelled spicy and tangy. Like black licorice. I looked at the six pronged little brown star, little seeds buried in each segment._

_Whipping my head up, I noticed the kitchen window was open. Had these seeds blown in here, from some kind of plant outside?_

"_Hey.. mom.." I called, picking up one of the stars. "What are these things?"_

_A soft patter of feet entered the kitchen, and her familiar scent of lavender filled my nose._

"_Oh for heaven's sake.. I'm going to banish that cat from this house, if he keeps knocking stuff over on the counter top!" Twisting my neck around to catch my mother's eyes, I held up the odd object, "But what is it?" I asked again._

_My mother took the star from my fingertips, "It's mainly used in Chinese and Indian dishes. It's used like spices. We have a variation of it here in Japan, but we use that kind in our incenses—You can't eat it though, because it causes inflammation to our digestive organs."_

_Grimacing, I gave her an odd look, "So why do you have this.. spice?"_

"_I use it in my tea. It makes the room smell rich and heavenly, while also giving a strong licorice taste to my cup." _

_I glanced back the counter top, "Hmm... "

* * *

_

_I should've listened to Yuki! _

_I bit my lip as I literally ran down the damp sidewalks, my schoolbag a fabric triangle budding from behind my arm. My hair jumped and swirled as I leaped over cement curbs, crossing the streets dangerously fast. Maybe it was because I spent too much time uptown with my friends (and was past my curfew), or even the fact a rapist was on the loose, but either way, I was sprinting towards home._

_Mom was going to kill me._

_Skidding to a stop, I eyed my favorite short-cut, now a dark alleyway that would lead me through a few backyards and behind an old temple. Why did everything have to look so menacing in the dark? _

_Putting even more pressure on my lip, I bolted through the shortcut, hurtling over fallen trashcans and garden shrubs. My heart was doing the maximum speed limit, as I slowed my pace so I could look around the temple wall, and see my house in view. Last time I had come through here at night, an old grandfather from the shrine was waving his broom angrily at me._

_And there was a rapist._

_I could feel my teeth suddenly grit together._

_Slowly, I inched only my head around the corner._

_Nothing. Nothing but the silent shrine home, and the dense forest around it and the road home—_

_A looming chill rushed up my spine, and pierced me in the gut. Spinning around, my heart stalled as I saw a distant shadow in the alley.. making its way toward me. I almost wanted to cry in defeat. I didn't have the time, strength, or energy to make a run for it._

_But I still tried._

_To my utter surprise, I did make it. I busted through my home door, slammed it behind me, and turned every locking mechanism. I slid down the door, tears pouring from my eyes. I hardly remembered my mother coming down the stairs to yell at me for being late, and only hugging me fiercely when I blubbered out my apologies and my sudden terror story._

_And when the Monday paper was issued out, I was surprised to see that the rapist had turned himself in that night— covered in bruises and deep cuts._

_He said he'd been attacked by an animal.

* * *

_

_Hot tears pooled in my eyes, some rolling down my cold face as I gripped the frigid steering wheel numbly. My lips blubbered out a distressed sob. I tried to ignore the darkness around me, the forbidding notion that I could literally freeze to death, at the tender age of only fifteen._

_I had borrowed my grandmother's old metal car, to run some errands at a near-by country 24/7 quickie mart, because she couldn't drive it without her arthritis acting up— plus people in this small town would only give you a slap on a wrist for driving so young. And honestly, it wasn't like I was going have a _joyride_ in this 70's metal shack! For _god's sake_, I was buying groceries for my grandmother; because it was only me and her for the next week; while the rest of my family went to visit my aunt in Hong Kong!_

_I was going to die a teen. A virgin. A sporty geek._

_So here I was around midnight, in a thick snowy ditch, after skidding on black ice, the car on its side. I let my head fall to gravity's demand, long black hair hanging down towards the passenger seat. My warm tears _plipp_ed onto the passenger side window. How pitiful. I wasn't going to die of old age like granny, in a hospital while on a life line, or even in some heroic fight I've always dreamed of—_

_I was even a geek as I suffered in my last moments!_

_That sent another round of hysterical sobs, and my hands trying to open my door against the white covered windows. My eyes glazed over in fresh frustration and horror, as I hung sideways in my seat belt._

_I thought it was over.._

_Muffled voices rumbled outside._

_Sparked with hope, I screamed loudly and thrashed in my seat._

_And my heart sped up as my window became less dark, gloved fingers pushing the heavy snow away from my driver's side window. Suddenly a strong arm jerked my door open, letting cold snow rush in like water. I could barely see through my misted eyes, but I could tell he was a man. A rugged man, with thick shoulders and long arms and legs—dressed in black winter clothing, from his head to his toes. Wearing a ski mask and goggles, I couldn't even see his face.._

_He didn't say anything, but moved so unearthly, it made me feel as if I had knocked my head while flipping the car. It was almost like.. an intoxicated dream.. as he wrapped one arm around my thin waist, unbuckled my seat belt with the other, and lifted me delicately into his jacket-puffy arms._

_I don't know how he knew where I was staying; maybe he recognized my grandmother's car? I barely remember him carrying me to gran's door, and speaking to her in a deep voice, one that sent odd tingles across my cold arms. Nor do I recollect how her dark eyes were filled with thankful tears, as he laid me gently onto the warm couch by the roaring fireplace. Or how he managed to tow the car back to the driveway, groceries and all.._

_I just couldn't let the memory of my hero go, while he cradled me partially in his lap as he drove.. a sense of worry feeding from him, as he blasted the truck's heater, and fogged the wide windows._

_And the smell of mother's favorite tea.

* * *

_

_My family was dead_.

_Rain splattered onto my bloody face, the pure water stinging as it washed away the crimson. I moaned painfully and grasped the large constraints holding me. A high-pitched whimper, escaped my down-turned lips. It might've been the cold wind brushing past my red cheeks, or the soft whisper of the highway in the distance.. but a lullaby hum sung itself into my chilled ear._

_A dropping sensation filled my stomach, like sick butterflies, as my pain slowly ebbed away from my wounded eyes.._

_There was a flash of white light, the minute after my pain-crippled body was lifted down onto wet cobblestones. Ruffles of rain-soaked clothes scraped against each other—tiny voices muffled in a house—the chiming of Temple bells caught in a breeze—a fading scream—Obscured pattering of hurried feet, slapping against a wooden veranda— and a faint kiss pressing delicately to my injured temple.._

Unresponsive lungs.. shuddered.

_Coffee and star anise._

A strangled cough racked my body— pain like sharp nails hammering into my throat.

_He saved me._

_.. carried me to Kagome's parents house, to the Shrine they kept._

_Always there.._

_Difficult to see._

_Constantly a faded figure behind the scenes._

My dead fingers twitched.

_I had no idea that my protector had always.._

"_**I'll always continue to protect you."**_

_.. watched over me._

_Sesshomaru._

A deep suctioning breath pushed itself into my dry lungs. My heavy body heaved another raspy inhale, a moan gurgling from the corner of my lips.

The broken object in my chest—

_Ba-bump._

Kick started.

* * *

a/n: ;)

One more chapter to go! One reaaaaally long one!

_please review!_


	8. AUTHOR NOTE!

Let's just say, the 2010 Winter Olympics hit my city_ (streets have been shut down and public transportation has turned into Hell)_, and I had a really ignorant friend choosing a man whore over her friend of over 8 years. But I promise, honestly, truly, sincerely, that if you check back in a few hours _(maybe 4 tops?)_ there'll be a pretty chapter awaiting you.

A really** long** one.

And if you all review nicely, despite my horrible disappearance, I'll even post up a few take outs that have accumulated.

: )

-K


	9. Rin decides

_Eat You Up_

* * *

Summary:

**She's fierce, a respected Yakuza member. And yet forced to stay behind, playing nurse for an arrogant inuyoukai? With someone trying to kill her and being suddenly 'imprinted'- Rin doesn't what's worse: forced to love Sesshomaru, or being assassinated.**

**

* * *

**A/N: Sorry for the wait, again, no sarcasm. I've been angry at my school, angry at my stupid friend, and angry that so many friggen streets have closed down in Vancouver because of the Olympics! GAH! Here is the very last chapter of EYU, but that doesn't include outtakes; ones that I loved too much to delete and sadly wouldn't fit into the plot line. *sigh* Anyway, thank you, and here you goooo!

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Quick vocal:

*Shishi Odoshi _[ Is a type of Japanese water fountain, literally translating into "d__eer scarer". It's a __pivoting arm attached to upright supported bamboo and a hard surface or object (rock) that the arm may come in contact with. Water pours from a tube or pipe into the arm. When the arm gets full, the weight of the water causes it to tip over and empty, making a sharp sound when it hits the hard surface below it. The hallow arm then rises up again to get refilled.__]_

*Seppuku _[Literally translates into "stomach cutting". A sword or dagger is plunged abdomen and moving the blade left to right. This type of suicide was first created for only samurai as an honorable way to die, rather than be captured by enemies and subjected to torture or inhumane death. It was also used by them as a capital form of punishment for serious shameful crimes. There are also other types done by one's master, or women during wars after they tie their limbs together so rigamortis would set in and the woman couldn't be subjected to immoral acts.]_

* * *

_Ba-bump._

I was alive.

My eyes flashed open, panic surging through me. Struggling to instinctively sit up, I managed to prop myself on a pillow, my dilated pupils rushing down to see my physical damage. I inhaled sharply, disbelief washing through my veins. Branching out from my clothing, there wasn't a single bandage or scar on my bare legs. My little toes wiggled in response to my awe.

_Impossible._

Dazed, I jutted my hands out for my eyes to examine. There too, wasn't a mark or even a scratch to show my bloody battle. A strangled sob lodge sideways in my throat— my throat! My hands flew to my neck.. and I could've almost cried. Searching the room quickly for a reflective surface, I saw an untouched food tray on my side table, and I snagged the metal spoon. There was absolutely no evidence of my personal havoc. I traced the beautiful skin of my neck, fingering it softly, until my tips found a short hairline cut. It was not visible, and barely detectable.. But I remembered the gory wound! There was no way Kagome could've healed it this well, nor any hospital medical team!

_Ba-bump._

My head swirled to find the noise, and my eyes widened at the machine. Next to it was a dripping IV, above it were the familiar bleached ceilings and nauseating yellow walls. I was in the Oosaka hospital: the same place that had responded to my injured eyes. Overcome with anxiety, I turned to pull out the aching needle from my wrist—A large hand grasped my fingers, holding them prisoner in their wide grasp. Cold wind from the suddenly open door, hit my face. Tingles shot across my skin like bullets, and weaved themselves down to my flying organ. This had to be the worst time when everyone could _hear_ your emotions. With this in mind, I was utterly devoted to not looking into the eyes of my captor. The scent of star anise filled my slowing lungs, almost calming them. Goose bumps rose all over my skin, from head to toe.

I knew this spice, and who owned it.

"Where is everyone?" I rasped out, my voice clogged with heavy sleep. I ignored the other words bubbling in my chest, the questions and demanded answers directed to this man. Like, what happened to me, why was I alive, and why was he here.. watching over me from the hallway? I inhaled raggedly and forced my eyes to the floor, hospital floors seemed quite pretty this time of year.. The warm fingers gently released me, and I thanked God when the monitor didn't give anything away. "Some are cleaning up the battle grounds; my father and Izayoi are updating our security and analyzing our allies. Inuyasha is watching over his newborn pups, and Kagome—"

"_Pups_?" I spoke, astonished, and unable to keep to myself. It wasn't until now, that I felt his sweet breath fanning over my head, which sent my heart rate a pitch higher. _Shut up, you fucking machine!_I gritted my teeth slightly, embarrassment and anger flushing inside me. "Yes, Kagome has birthed twins." The thick, luxurious voice whispered from above. "Naoko and Naoto Takahasi."

They used the name I suggested. Another sob lurched into my throat, where I tried to keep it down. What would you do if one of your family or good friends were dead or dying? You'd use their name for your child.. "Can I go see them?" I spoke softly, still admiring the room's floor. I didn't care if I was supposed to be wondering about my mental situation, my emotional and physical downfall that caused me to attempt suicide, nor that I hated babies. But these ones were Kagome's, and they'd be perfect in every way.

There was a stiff silence, and suddenly I—

_Yes, he had serious issues, his problems with the murky past, disgust in Izayoi so much— that he hated all humans, females, the __Yakuza__._

"_Oh, so you're going to have the wedding outside?"_

"_Where's your big brother, Inuyasha.. Where _is_Sesshomaru?"_

_"You honestly don't believe you have a yearning for the Lord of the West?"_

"_Sesshomaru's the father."_

_Her blunt industrial sword in her demonic hands twinkled with my human blood._

"_BUT IT DIDN'T INCLUDE ALLOWING HER TO KILL HERSELF!"_

_Please, let me die._

So many unanswered questions.

Warm arms slid under my knees and around my back. It took a second for my heart rate to take a break, as he lifted me ever so gently and placed me softly in a handy wheelchair beside my bed. Without warning that same hand reached out towards me, and gently stripped off the two white patches that looked over my erratic heart. The bloody machine screeched its last breath, until Sesshomaru clicked it off. There was the sound of the IV poles wheels, and I suddenly was being pushed out and away from my room. I thanked the person, probably Izayoi, who had dressed me in my favorite un-revealing pajamas. A backless, nude, Rin was not up for traveling around the Hospital with a certain out-of-character demon.

Counting to four in my head, I deliberately made my heart tranquil. I did however; try to ignore the godly presence of the immortal man pushing me; a youkai who was imprinted to me, and only me. Though the looming fear of pain still stayed with me, and questioned his every move to help a human girl. The heart wrenching suspicion of Kagura's last words did not fade. Before I had realized it, two metal elevator doors slid open before us, and Sesshomaru slowly spun the wheelchair around, so we could back up into it.

This version of Sesshomaru.. I had not yet personally experienced.

Now that half of my heart was beating with a new rhythm, I found it hard to not admire the strong youkai arm that reached around me to press the 'Level 5' button. A speck of red oozed into my vision, that arm, this man, was _mine_. _This daiyoukai is mine, every single cell_—I blinked wildly, my mouth dropping as my normal vision returned.

"_I wish you would try to at least be near Sesshomaru, more than a few minutes each day. And not park yourself dutifully over his hospital bed, but because you __want__ to be near him."_

"_I will never volunteer to _want _him, sir."_

I had accepted part of him.. and now my soul was becoming possessive of Sesshomaru. My heart clenched together slightly, fear spiking into my veins at the thought of this. I cared for him, yes.. but Kagura's pregnancy…

The metal doors parted once more, and announced loudly we were on Level 5 of the hospital. As we were thrust into the Maternity Wing, many bodies were present everywhere, from doctors to expecting parents and excited relatives. Despite the thick crowd, Sesshomaru managed to drive us past everyone, without a single person brushing past us. Had he felt my anxiety? The wrenching fear of thousands of breathing humans, while not only hours ago, I had pleaded, begged, for death to take me? I felt sick and a bit ill tempered, as if the gods truly were teasing me, allowing Sesshomaru to bring me to where life was born every day. Like they planned to show me, to teach me, as if we were all playing jump rope; that we had to endure the ups and downs of the ever swinging rope.

My fingers clenched the arm rests of my wheelchair, as we headed down a quieter hallway of rooms. We stopped silently near a huge pane of glass, which Sesshomaru glanced into briefly. "They must be in Kagome's room." He murmured, loud enough for me to hear.

I wanted to demand him tell me why he was acting so sincere, so calm and quiet in this Hospital. Was it because of the buildings rules, to be respectful? Or maybe it was to show me he wasn't scary? Maybe to keep me from freaking out, and attempting to commit a type of seppuku.. My knuckles turned white from pressure. I wanted to know what was truly going on. But I was too scared to ask, to feel the second blow of torment, if all the things I feared were real. I couldn't take another hit. All my life, I had gotten the end of the stick, and I didn't want to hope for something different. I was afraid of hope.

As we rounded the corner past the little observation room, my heart did a down spiral as I thought of how people would react to Kagome's demonic children.. what would they be? One-third hanyou?

"But we are in a human hospital.." I mumbled out, knowing he'd still be able to hear it.

I could hear his clothes crinkle as he hunched over the chair, his warm mouth mere inches from my ear. "Just because we live in a human world, doesn't mean we don't have demonic people working in public places." He whispered. "And because the parents are half hanyou and human, imprinted, the children appear hanyou, but have the full power of a pure demon. Imprinted parents are, and give, immortal life."

My eyes peeked up from my ruffled hair, looking at room name plaques as we drifted down the hall. I had known Inuyasha could access his demonic side.. but I didn't know it meant he was a full youkai, that only his appearance was deceiving. My thoughts continued to roll around like marbles in my head, as Sesshomaru pushed my wheelchair through the bleach-fragranced corridors. By the second door of the third hall we rolled down, the wheels slowly halted. Without bothering for a knock or voicing his intrusion, Sesshomaru's clawed hand twisted the door handle, and pulled me backwards into the private room. Inuyasha's voice was the first that spoke.

"Hey! I didn't know where you wen… Rin?"

My heart clenched at the thought of their reactions. Would he scream and swear at me for being so careless with my life, after he went great lengths to find me and save me? Could Kagome ever forgive me, for trying to kill myself, even though they had named their child one of the names I had suggested? The chair swirled around like a merry-go-round, my hair rippling dully in the gravitational swing. I immediately found myself incased in two thick arms, and the scent of salt coming from the person's embrace. Inuyasha squeezed me harder, gripping my shoulders with his claws, slightly pinching the skin beneath my hospital getup. "Don't you ever do such a thing again!" He growled, hugging me tighter, his pitch wavering with emotion. "_Ever_, bitch!"

A strangled hand grasped my throat, tears pricking the sides of my eyes.

"I promise.." I gasped.

The moment Inuyasha moved slightly out of my view, I immediately saw my best friend laying helplessly in her hospital bed, swamped in different colored blankets. From the looks of the tousled room, and warm thick musk scent in the air, Kagome had given birth today. And she would not be advised or allowed to move for a while. Without asking, or acknowledging the hard glare from behind my chair, Inuyasha picked me up into his arms and deposited me on Kagome's bed. Her hair was matted and tangled from child birth, smile exuberant with motherhood, but her eyes were bloodshot from the thought of losing me.. No words were needed as she pulled me into a strong hug. A strangled sound erupted from my lips, which was met be a loud sob from Kagome, and I relished in the moment as my friend held me stronger than she ever had before. A few gurgled and high-pitched words were exchanged between us, before she held me at arm's length with a watery smile. "Would you like to see my boys?" She asked, her eyes aglow.

My throat was tightly shut with emotion, so I could only nod an agreement. From my peripherals I could see Inuyasha pick up a white blanket bundle from across the room, and walk towards us while two pale hands gripped his thumb. I held out my arms mechanically, as a small figure was lovingly set into my embrace. The tiny infant had finished his gummy yawn before a pair of glowing gold irises blinked up at me. I inhaled in shock slightly. I stared at the little baby, and it held my eyes in return. Slowly, a sweet grin lifted the tiny corner of his mouth, and rose up to crinkle his eyes. And you could see it then, with the front bangs peaked high, this little boy knew exactly who I was, and I knew which twin this was in my arms.

Naoto.

The sweet name I had given away. I couldn't help myself then, as the little boy's toothless smile grew larger. My heart softened and little hums sung instinctively through my lips. He was such a beautiful boy, and I could not resist the smile creeping on my face. Before I could look up, Inuyasha had placed another child in my other arm. Brightly looking to my left, I let out a small laugh at the infant's expression. He wore a defined frown, as his darker eyes roamed all over my face. I continued to grin at him, little Naoko, as he in turn scowled back. Touching the tip of my finger to his small nose, letting him know I loved him and meant no harm, a shy smile was my gift.

"And now they know who Aunty Rin is."

Kagome smiled warmly at me, as Inuyasha's arm wrapped delicately around her shoulder.

* * *

I was released from the hospital the same day Kagome had gave birth, but given a dosage of anti-depressant drugs, which had everyone's eyes on something else in the room while they were given to me. After dressing myself in my hospital room bathroom, I slowly zipped up my jeans and pulled on my blouse with exaggerated slowness. Sesshomaru had not spoken directly to me once about my ordeal, nor anything to do about my hospital stay. He spent more time regarding the clock on his wrist than on anyone else. I had noticed though, that everyone else were much closer to Sesshomaru than before, which had me pointedly looking at certain people for an explanation. When I asked about my injuries, and how I was stunningly healed, no one answered. Everyone seemed to unacknowledged the elephant in the room, and its size was beginning to grow…

My head lulled with the rough pavement we drove over, my shoulders swinging either way as we turned corners. My vision was still hazy like normal, nothing had changed. But my body.. my body had healed with unimaginable power. What man or youkai had healed me, and with what? I could not imagine how I had such nonexistent scar tissue, or even compare my healed flesh to other damaged beings. What had happened? My eyes flickered to the front of the luxury car, critically watching InuTashio and Izayoi converse silently up front. Kagome sat beside me in the roomy backseat, her fingers grasping the child seat beside her. Naoko came with us, while Naoto rode with Inuyasha and Sesshomaru in a familiar silver car behind us. I was curious as to why Kagome had not joined them, or why the brothers rode alone.

However, my silent questions would be answered soon.

After an exhausting day, family and Gizena gathered tightly together in the mansion, and sat down for a quiet evening with loving smiles and warm laughter. I had been plagued with hugs and words from literally every Gizena, and after dinner I excused myself to my room so I could relax. I innocently dropped my pills in the garbage, on the way upstairs. Locking my door, to show I did not want to be disturbed, I shut off my lights and curled up on top of my duvet. I bit my lip, frustrated tears building in my blinking eyes.

Sesshomaru had ignored me for a whole evening, despite the obvious attempts by people to push him towards my direction.

I knew he was ruthless, and I knew that he cared for me, but what right did he have to not talk to me? Everyone knew I committed suicide because of him! They knew the lengths I went through to save Kagome by myself, run after Kagura with a hot head, then only to later rip out my throat as raw heartbreak enveloped me! I bit my lip harder, tears pouring down, as I huddled myself together. And in one of the few moments I allowed myself to be emotional weak, a dull rap sounded on my door.

Clenching my eyes shut, I rasped out, "Leave me alone."

Silence found me, but only a second before the knocking got louder.

My arm loosened around my legs, "Go away!" I yelled, my frustration getting the better of me. "I'm trying to sleep!"

I gritted my teeth, watching the band of light underneath the door. To my shock, the intruder punched the door, shaking the plank on it's hinges.

"OPEN THE DOOR, RIN!"

Sesshomaru.

A strangled noise lodged in my throat.

"What?" I bit back, emotions rising higher. "You finally want to talk—!"

"HOW DARE YOU THROW AWAY YOUR ANTIDEPRESSANTS! ARE YOU STUPID?"

That did it. Growling, marching over to my door, I threw it open and stared angrily into a set of amber eyes. "I don't need them!" I screamed shrilly, knowing it would hurt his superior hearing. I gloated as he winced. "Fuck my pills! And fuck you Mr. Inglorious Supreme Know-it-all! FUCK YOU!" I shrieked.

His fist punched the wall beside me, the loud _crack_ echoing through the house, silencing whatever chatter the mansion and its residents had been holding. My eyes were wide in shock as I watched him pull his arm from the gaping hole, dust and debris coating his skin. "How dare you speak to me in such a manner.." His voice hissed. Sesshomaru's body was tense, shoulders hunched like a lion about to attack, as he bore down on my egotistical self. "How dare _you_ for not talking to me." I snapped right back, my fingers gripping the side of my door. I was not about to back down, nor he. To my annoyance, he pulled out an orange clear bottle from his pocket, and showed me it. "I don't care if you're going to bitch and whine, you are taking these god damn pills!" He snarled, his teeth bearing at me. I knocked them out of his hand before he could react, sending the rattling bottle to the hardwood. "I'm not depressed!" I hissed, eyes narrowing.

"Then pray tell what you were doing with your hands in your neck!"

I couldn't help it, as I watched him lean closer to me, the fragrance of black licorice taunting me…

"I DID IT BECAUSE I THOUGHT YOU DIDN'T LOVE ME!" I cried out.

Without warning, his warm body pushed me backwards into my room, flicking on the lights as I peddled away from him. His loose hair was sprayed out around his thick shoulders, dancing away from his head in long tendrils that tangled with the white fabric of his button-up shirt; as if pretending to be actually be loose threads from the fabric. I inhaled loudly, distraught sounds gushing from my lungs. If I did not know it was him in front of me, I would've never recognized the helplessly silken voice coming from his mouth. ".. You love me?"

I kept my eyes on the floor.

"Why didn't I die?" I questioned, blatantly ignoring him.

"I did not want to tell you so early, but you have to understand, there was no other option. Tenseige wouldn't work for me—"

"Who is Tenseige?" I interupted, wondering what mother named her child this.

A sigh erupted from him. "Tenseige is the sword my father made from his fang, a weapon made for only me before my birth."

I distantly remembered Kagome telling me that youkai father's made weaponry for their children, a sense of physical protection for the child. "How would a sword heal me?" I asked, almost laughing in shock of the idea of a weapon saving someone. "Because my sword does not kill, it heals. It takes out the underworld demons trying to take away someone's soul, and once hit with Tenseige, they disappear and your body keeps its soul while healing all threatening injuries. But it wouldn't work.. The most desperate time I need it, and it failed me. You were dying, and I.." He pinched the bridge of his nose, eyes tightly closed. I watched him carefully, I'd never seen him act so..

"I had to partially start the consummation of our Imprinting." He bit out.

"Excuse me?" I gasped, backing up, numbness spreading throughout my veins. "Consummate?"

He sighed and looked directly at me, "I had to have a brief moment of intercourse with you."

"You had sex with me while I was dying and bleeding out? Necrophilia!" I shrieked. "You fucking sicko! Did you feel up Kagura too—?"

He slammed me against the wall, teeth slightly bearing down at me. "You. Were. Dying! I had no choice! It was the only way your body would realize I needed you! The only way I could get your body to recognize me and let me heal you!"

I didn't know whether to kick or hit him, "Kagura was pregnant.." I whispered, trying to flex my wrists under his strong grip, traitor tears glowing in my eyes. "If she was telling the truth, that she was pregnant, why did you save me? You had Kagura.. Why would you save me? Make me suffer—?" Two clawed hands held my face, and forced it upwards, inches from his own. Flickering red tried to coat the golden hues of Sesshomaru's eyes. "Kagura was planning to kill you so I staged that interview with her, to throw her off balance, pretend you really were just another human. Her being pregnant? She lied to you to make you weak! She meant nothing to me, I killed her the moment I saw her!" He yelled, gripping my face tighter.

"Lies!" I snarled half-heartedly, "You decided to fuck her and then once she got pregnant, you killed her so you could keep scoring with other females? How sick of a basta—!"

His mouth crushed mine, silencing me.

It was as violently warm as I remembered, as spine-tingling and head-swirling. I couldn't find my own two feet if I tried. My eyes shut the moment his angry kisses smothered my lips, but all I could think of, that was this the way he kissed Kagura too? My hand reached up and desperately pushed his face away from mine. Tears clouded my flickering vision. I opened my mouth to speak, but silent words came from my moving lips. This was too much to take. I was going to faint from stress.. my brain was on information overload. My ears popped with that high pitched buzzing, blurring the world around me. I could hear the muted noises of everyone gathered outside the room, their excited voices murmuring to another, hoping that I would finally see the hidden motives and allow Sesshomaru to be mine.

"I can't.. I.." I whispered, my eyes downcast. This didn't feel right.. I couldn't do this.. I could feel his eyes on me, desperately willing the words he wanted to hear to surface from my lips. But how could I? He had ignored me from the day he knew I was meant to be his. He never contacted me, spoke to me, but always watched from the shadows. If he had not been hurt that fateful day, would he just stay in the darkness and watch me from afar—fulfill his imprinted nature until he could get away from the disgusting human? Was he going to never even cross my path for as long as I lived? Just some unwanted product he needed to be around, to make sure he was healthy, before he could go off and travel around the world and sleep with other women? And now that he had met me, he had to be with me? To satisfy part of himself, and his parents? Was it only his youkai side that needed me? Not the soul name Sesshomaru? I inhaled sharply, disdain and personal disgust filling my throat like bile.

And he felt those unworded feelings of mine.

Within a flash of movement, Sesshomaru left me and wrenched the door open, snapping off the metal hinges. Their screams and yells followed him as he left the mansion, and my clenching heart refused to allow anything but pain through to me. My wide glassy eyes stared down at the floor.

By letting him go.. I rejected part of myself.

Within mere seconds, my lungs were shuddering angrily within my ribs, refusing to let me breathe. They wanted him. My heart was screaming and lurching, battering against me. My body couldn't understand how I just let him walk away. How could I have done that? Sweat beaded on my forehead, and I gasped, suddenly gripping my heart. Feminine hands grasped my jaw, and forced my blurring sight to focus on their owner. Kagome's mouth was twisted between horror and anger. "How could you just allow that to happen? What is _wrong _with you?" She screamed shrilly. Even she began to cry with me. "Rin, why didn't you accept him? He just poured his heart out to you! And you should know by now, he has never opened himself up like this before! Yes he had sex with you, and it even wasn't sex, but touching you in intimate places so your soul would connect back to his again! No man, no matter how much he hates the woman he's made for, would ever do such a thing! You weren't conscious when he was crying for you to wake up, holding you like a porcelain doll as he patiently waited for your heart to pick up! He may not say it out loud, but he _loves_ you!"

I could only whimper as the pain grew all over, as if my own personal demons were beating me down. Kagome continued sobbing, pulling me to my feet. "You _can't _fight 'imprinting'! How can you sit here, and tell me you don't feel anything? After he saved you? Are you going to let these feelings eat you up inside, Rin? Or admit, you're in love— That Japan's top yakuza woman, has fallen for Sesshomaru!"

I could hear tires squealing outside..

And Kagome desperately changed tactics.

She stared at me, and kept looking at me until I focused on her. Her voice became distant and sad. "Rin.. he's going to keep driving, until he no longer can feel you."

"Wh- what?" I gasped, tears blurring my confused feelings.

"He's leaving you."

My eyes dilated, and now not even my voice was sure of anything. "No.." I whispered, my words cracking roughly.

"Yes." She confirmed. "Yes, Sesshomaru hates humans. He hates how we have pathetic uncontrollable emotions, kill own kind in infinite wars, and hate own breed because of heritages and colored skin. Even when equal, we plot each other's demises, and rape each other's women and children. The older our race becomes, the more each generation kills our planet, and makes it choke on its own children's careless actions. Humans do not react rightly, until it's too late. All their senses are weak— strength, smell, sight. We are despicable in each billion cell they're made up of." Kagome gripped my face harder, boring her mercury eyes into mine. "But we are not all the same, and we do not all follow a destructive path. Each human is uniquely different. And so are Youkai. And despite his hatred to some of us, he has told me that his feelings will not change for the _human_ race_._ He has accepted that, just as he accepts that his _family_is made up of different kinds of life. That his family, our family— despite his hatred. Because Izayoi, is Izayoi, his step-mother; Inuyasha, his loud brutish self, is his brother. Just as I am Kagome."

"And me?" I barely whispered.

A soft smile befitting her, smoothed across her lips.

"And Rin is Rin. But, she is _his _Rin."

He loved me.

Both sides.

Kagome focused on me again.

"If you do not go after him, Rin.. He won't come back. He won't be watching you from the sidelines anymore. He won't be there when you hurt yourself. He won't stop you from marrying another man. He won't care if you have children with someone else. He won't love you.."

"NO." I disagreed, my legs jerking me off the bed. "NO!" I screamed.

Kagome stared at me in shock, backing up slightly. My eyes whirled around the room wildly, taking in the intruders at the door, the shocked faces of friendly Gizena members, Kagome's cradled babies in Inuyasha's arms..

"NO!" I cried, now staring at the infants.

I ran faster than I ever had.

This time I wasn't running to assassinate people, or to out-run Koga.. I was running to him.

"RIN!"

I had burst through the crowd, crippling pain in my throbbing throat and legs. I whirled around corners, and shouldered the front door open roughly. I jumped over the stone steps, and scattered the gravel in the cul-de-sac driveway.

"— _I didn't understand the feeling, nor did I know who this inhumanly beautiful man was.. but, I didn't care. I ran across the white pebbles, my geta's sliding off my feet, scattering the serene lines of the enclosure. I almost jumped into his arms."_

"—_Normally Inuyasha's the rash one.. and yet here I was, without a thought or question in my head, running across the gravel towards a boy that made my heart stop beating."_

A strangled sob lodged in my throat, as a smile spread across my face. I was following tradition.. running towards the future I couldn't stop. Without bothering looking both ways on the paved road, I pushed through the mansion gates and sprinted across the road. Thick towers of green chutes blurred past me, my aching legs flying past the bamboo stalks where Asami had cornered me. I couldn't give a damn about my legs. I would give both of them up, if it meant he would continue to stay. All I needed was my weak eyes and my stubborn heart, so I could spend forever seeing him, and allow eternity to ravel my heart around him.

Wet green leaves brushed across my exhilarant smile, and that was the moment I knew it.

I really loved him.

I broke out onto a paved road, slowing down quickly, desperately listening.. My legs instinctively locked like a startled colt's, and I whipped my head to the side. I was standing in the middle of the road, with a silver car speeding towards me. It wasn't just any car.. it was a Spyker C8 Double 12S. I inhaled deeply, watching at the car suddenly braked loudly. But it was raining.. The tires turned left, and the whole car hydroplaned across the road. I stood tall, watching the steam and water splatter come from the wheels. The rain continued to fall down, the soft droplets on my face contrasting against the squealing car. With a sudden shriek, the machine jolted and froze on the asphalt, still allowing its luxury engine to purr.

I inhaled sharply, my wet spiked eyelashes surrounding my calm eyes.

I wondered if he could feel these unfaltering emotions within me, as my bare feet padded gently across the warm road. Walking towards the silver car, my country yellow sundress sticking to my skin, I let my heart grow loud so he could hear it through the downpour. I stopped in front of the driver's side door, and placed my wet hand on the window. Those past fearful tears beat the way the rain flowed down his window to my feet. After a tap from my knuckles, the glass barrier sunk into the door. At first he didn't look at me, which caused my heart to falter with pain. This made his eyes flash up to mine.

I held in the surprised gasp, my mouth slightly ajar, as I took in the color of his eyes.

They weren't red with anger.. only blood shot with _sadness_. He had cried over the potential loss of me, the human girl who stole his heart, from when she was only an infant.

I couldn't help the flood of love surging within my tiny frame.

I pushed myself through the open window; my strong hands gripped his gorgeous face, and pulled him roughly to my lips. I didn't stop the rough movement of my mouth, nor subdue the hot devotion. When I began to push my intensity, I found warm hands quickly weaving through my rain-soaked tresses, and Sesshomaru's warm response. Strong arms delicately pulled me through the open window, gently bringing me to him. Each second his hands touched me, my skin burned like a wild fire. His hot hands printed all over my body, blazing me into an inferno as the kisses became deeper. A whimper trembled in my healed throat, the tornado of overwhelming sensations and texture of my straddling body over his, becoming thick and tangible in the air of the car. When his lips traveled to my closed eyes, and pressed a soft kiss on each, my bruised mouth opened slightly.

"This human loves you, Sesshomaru."

There was a strangled chuckled.

And a trembling inhale of breath.

My eyes opened, curious.

.. And I couldn't believe what I saw.

It wasn't just that his golden eyes were swimming with hushed tears, or the fact I had never seen a youkai man cry.. It was because I could _see_. I could see the delicate and regal red pigment on his cheeks, the pale moon on his forehead, even the smooth lips of this daiyoukai. Everything was crystal clear, even more defined before my unfortunate accident with Naraku. "You and your body have finally accepted me." His breathless tone sung. My eyes snapped back to his, and almost got lost in all the golden threads that made up his colorful irises. His clawed hand curved around my cheek, "And because you have, I'm finally allowed to finish the healing I had not completed the day you lost your sight."

"Embrace healing.." The words fell out of mouth softly. "But I didn't even know someone was carrying me, didn't even know you existed." I continued, slightly confused. How had he started to heal me then?

"Yes, but your soul knew who I was. And because you could not see me, you didn't reject me, but welcomed my soul to yours." He breathed, his eyes flickering all over my face. "Your body followed the only senses it had at that time."

"You really loved me, the moment you met me?" I asked, being drawn towards the past.

His lips froze slightly, before he responded. "I was over come with indestructible emotions, the second I saw you playing in that sand box." He inhaled sharply, and made sure I was looking straight at him. "I hated you for a brief second, and I couldn't believe what fate had done to me. It betrayed me, and gave me a human partner. A being so weak, that if I didn't do the ceremony right away, could die at any second for any reason.. disease, weather, murder.. And before I knew it, I found my heart wrapped around your little fingers." He laughed, and the sound had me inching forward for more. I had never heard him laugh without sarcasm behind it, it was ridiculously alluring.

"And then I almost snapped a tree limb beside me, as the sudden realization sunk it; That I was falling for a mortal toddler, who would forever be human, and would always be searching the world for a man that didn't exist.. if I didn't make myself known. Then you looked at me, but you didn't know it quite. You walked up to the tree I was hiding myself in, and I watched as you picked up a stray hair of mine.. and it was then I made my decision. That I would watch you from afar, until the right moment, the perfect day, where I had to make myself known to you—"

"What happened to you, the day I finally met you?" I interrupted, over come with questions.

"Naraku had tricked me, and I flew to Japan when I saw pictures of you with him in that club you like. When I got into the bar.. I knew immediately that it wasn't you, but a copy. I was so flooded with preparation to fight for you, and to tell you of who I was and what you were to me after 14 years.. and I lost it. I killed the girl immediately, and went after Naraku and his minions. And as the grief grew more, knowing this wasn't the time I was to show myself to you, the more my rage grew. I was a fool, so distracted and so upset that Kagura sunk a sword into me, covered in Naraku's black miasma. By the time the Gizena got there, and dragged me back to my father's mansion, I was completely drowned in my youkai nature." He shivered then, closing his eyes briefly, remembering something.

"And that's when I found your scent in the foyer, and I began to demand for you. When you did arrive, and I felt that familiar tug. I remembered it wasn't time to tell you of who I was, or about who you were to become to me.. and I tried to push you away. But instead I pulled you to me." He smiled grimly, "And then I threw you away from me."

Warmth flooded rapidly into me.

He really loved me.

He didn't hesitate, fight it, or deny it. He accepted me immediately, as a human, as his imprinted wife-to-be. Tears pricked the corners of my eyes. I was an idiot. I really was. "And to hide it all, you were a complete ass to me." I laughed, tears glazing over my sight.

He smirked, "I hadn't realized how adorable you were, when you became flustered. It became a treat, and I couldn't help myself." He laughed, his thumb rubbing away my stray tear. "But there were times I couldn't stop my devotion to you, and it shined sometimes. I always covered them up, hoped you saw them as me mocking you, but I could see how stunned you were." I couldn't stop the tears anymore, and they poured heavily like the rain outside the car. "I love you." I blubbered, gripping the sides of his face tightly. "I was and idiot and I ended up loving you anyway!"

His perfect lips smothered mine.

* * *

"I think it'll be a new family record."

"Ha! No kidding!"

Kagome eyed me warily, "I still can't believe you outdid me again." I just laughed. "I knew you were always better in martial arts, Rin-chan, along with street racing. But in _this_ department? Seriously?"

Grinning, I pressed the gas pedal harder, jerking the vehicle enough that Kagome shrieked in shock. She slapped my shoulder as I continued to laugh until my ribs began to hurt. Smiling like an idiot, I turned the wheel and let the _Spyker C8 Double 12S _drift onto the left road. Kagome was rummaging through our mountain of paper bags, when she spoke.

"I also can't believe that Izayoi built you a mansion of your own across town." She whistled. "I mean, they built one for Inuyasha and I down the road, but still!"

"Yeah, I didn't know that we had a Western Land family housing district. Plus we're surrounded by Western Land allies, so Sesshomaru deemed it suitable." I chattered, eyeing a building in the distance.

"They didn't build one for _Inuyasha's _exact architectural preferences." Kagome drawled, looking out her window too.

"It's not my fault Sesshomaru has a thing for Feudal Era exterior temple design." I sniggered. "Plus he wanted it relatively modern on the inside, because I '_may trip over something'_." I rolled my eyes at Kagome's amused expression.

"He's getting that protective at this stage?"

I turned the car's wheels and pulled up to a wrote-iron filigree gate, and muttered, "You have no idea." Pressing a small button on my steering wheel, the gates opened widely, and I drove up the C-shaped curve, colorful plants and trees passing by the windows. The silver car straightened out and smoothly crossed a small lacquered bridge, parking beside a complex large-scale Shishi Odoshi fountain. I could hear the dull thud's it made outside. Our home, or temple as Sesshomaru stingily deemed it, had a ten thousand feet floor plan, and was extremely ornate on the outside with colors of red, white and gold. I think my mother would've fainted if she had lived up to this point to see it. "Awe, here comes Hubby." Kagome cooed. Instead of directing my glare at her, I focused it towards the beautiful man making his way to my driver-side door. A twinge of annoyance pinched my system; Sesshomaru wasn't pleased with me for driving, in my current physical state. The door swung open as golden orbs fell down to my seat height. He quirked an eyebrow at me, seeing my displeased expression. "I know you love our cars, Rin, but you only have a few days to go. Can you not try to give me a heart attack?"

He held out his hand, which I grudgingly took. Using his superior strength, he lifted me gently from the leather seats, my eight month stomach protruding out first. Gotta love being a gigantic whale. "Driving a car never killed a pregnant woman." I sighed, letting him wrap his arm around my growing waist. "News reports beg to differ." A warm voice whispered in my ear. "So how's the—"

"Wriggling around madly."

Sesshomaru let a grin perk the corner of his lips, "I see your _ambitious _genes were inherited well."

I let my elbow _accidentally_ jab him.

Amused laughter softly echoed in my ears, as my angry blush spread across my cheeks. A small kiss pressed to my temple, and unworded feelings of love and devotion cascaded through my body. My heart hummed happily as I let his emotions dissolve my anger.

"Aun-tea Win! Mommy!"

Two silver-haired boys bolted from the open doors, climbing backwards down the large steps, they called out excitedly. Laughing, I picked up the first one down, Naoto, and slung him in the joint of my arm, letting him swing freely. He squealed and giggled as I made my way up the steps, knowing Kagome was grabbing her other rug-rat and Sesshomaru was getting our shopping bags. "Aun-tea has a preddy wing." My passenger commented, just as I felt little fingers touching the ring on my left hand.

"Yup." I agreed. "And it's really expensive too."

"Weally?" Naoto giggled, fingering the diamond band.

"Yes, and I can't get it off, because your uncle Sesshomaru glued it on there." I laughed loudly, remembering.

_I wasn't one for jewelry, really._

_It was obvious what our next step would be, and knowing my dislike of large gaudy sparkles, Sesshomaru brought me with him to the Jewelers, so I couldn't immediately refuse to marry him.. Not like I would, anyway. And so here we stood, Sesshomaru physically looking like he didn't want to be here, internally flustering about happily, while I just looked like a trapped animal in a cage. It was even worse because if I did something.. it'd be in public._

_Google-eyed couples were smiling at each other, looking at ridiculously expensive bands with silly grins, and it was at this point I'd rather have a tin-foil ring. Taking a risk and looking down into the one case Sesshomaru parked us in front of; I was almost blinded by the glittering 5 carat diamonds beaming up at me._

_I began to hyperventilate._

_Really, even an elastic band would do!_

_I started to back-peddle toward the known exits— a large hand grabbed my wrist. My eyelashes fluttered up to him, and in the same notion, tingling adoration swept into my chest; he was letting me feel his emotions. When we.. first had sex, the different set of feelings had shocked me. However in desperate situations before mating with him, I was allowed to feel sparks of his emotions here and there. But over time I grew to love them, to have the ability to truly know what he was thinking, with just a simple ability. Though, Sesshomaru cheated sometimes, not that you could lie with your emotions, but he used them at times to make me agree. I shivered slightly, thinking of the times when he lured me into our bedroom… _

_A raised eyebrow caught my eyes, and I blushed deeply._

"_What about this one?" His human-form finger tapped at a cluster of 5 diamonds, on a thin golden band. I had suggested gold not silver, because of his eyes.. Those same golden hues caught my attention again, and I shook my head slightly. Knowing I'd have to make a choice sooner or later, I looked into the designer case he was so intent upon.. Damn you Tiffany. Skimming across the radiant rows, my eyes shifted up one row. There. My finger pointed at it through the glass._

_Sesshomaru spoke to the man in French. After all, I didn't know any, and yet here we were, in France. I had thought the trip was just.. just a_suggestive _trip for us two. It had only been a few days since I was pulled through his car window, and I admitted my adoration for him. It was an amazing vacation so far.._

_Until he dragged me here._

_His pale fingers held up the band that had caught my attention. It was very dominate in saying 'this person is married', but it was simple, and sweet.. and it couldn't get too damaged on Gizena missions. Small diamonds literally formed the ring, one after another in a wave formation._

"_It's called an 'Eternity band'." Sesshomaru spoke, taking me out of my thoughts._

"_Well, that's what we're doing." I smiled._

"_For eternity, would you wear this ring?" He asked, his human-form eyes questioning me. Behind his frosty mask, I could feel the building of emotions, fanning out from him. I couldn't contain my ecstatic grin, his feelings getting to me._

"_Always."_

An internal nudge from my stomach brought my out of my memory. Naoto looked at my stomach wide eyed too. "Somethin' just move!" He gasped, pointing at the spot. Finding myself in the living room, I set him down beside the couch, and sat down. Patting the spot next to me, he climbed on and watched in amazement as I rubbed my stomach. A tiny foot pushed lightly at where I rubbed, just a little bump on the outside. Laughing at his expression, I massaged the same place, and this time, two bumps surfaced. Looking at Naoto again, his astonished eyes and gapping mouth, made me laugh even harder, which made the squirming inside my stomach press against my skin.

"MOMMY!" Naoto ran out of the room, screaming at the top of his lungs. "There's something in aunt-tea Rin's stomach!"

Laughing so hard, I was beginning to gasp for breath; I carefully pushed myself off the couch and waddled out of the room. I really hoped I didn't look like a penguin, pregnant women were supposed to be glowing and beautiful.. not flop around like beached whales. A tingle of warmth pricked the corner of my back, and spread out like fire as two warm arms wrapped around my protruding belly. A strong clawed hand cupped the top of my stomach, receiving a couple of nudges from inside.

"Hmm, moving quite a bit today." The silken deep voice crooned, the sound sending goose bumps across my neck.

"Sesshomaru.. do we have any popsicle's left?" I was always one for breaking the moods recently. A laugh escaped my husband, and he made us walk forward together to the kitchen. "I do believe we have a few left." He chuckled, rubbing my stomach softly, receiving more bumps back.

Sitting in our large kitchen, on the bar stools at the dominate granite island, my parents-in-laws sat. I wasn't surprised to see them here, especially since I was nearing the end of my pregnancy and Kagome and Inuyasha began to visit literally almost every day. "So how's our family record breaking daughter-in-law today?" Grinned InuTashio.

Izayoi smiled beautifully as she came up and hugged my shoulders gently. Sesshomaru's clawed hand stayed on my stomach protectively, feeling the movements of little feet tapping my bulge. Little buggers.

I returned their smiles warmly.

"The triplets are just fine."

_Fin._

* * *

A/N:

BAM! Triplets!

Okay yes, there, are you happy now? If you are, or aren't, please review :) Sorry, if you were slightly disturbed by Sess feeling her up when she was dying, lol, he did it to prove that he loved her, needed her, that though her soul was deceived, that he appeared to not care, he truly wanted to complete the imprinting. Thus making her soul, her body, accept him, in which he uh.. did stuff _(there's some outtakes, but nothing too_ _graphic),_ and her soul accepting his again, triggered her old memories she had forgotten when Naraku attacked her when she was younger. If you have any questions or confusion, let me know.

I promise to upload outtakes later. I apologize now for any spelling mistakes, but it's extremely early here, and I'm being lazy.

Thank you all for staying with me and enjoying my writing, really. If you want to chat or facebook, just let me know!

K-


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